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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 John 4:4

But you belong to God, my children, and have defeated the false prophets, because the Spirit who is in you is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong to the world.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adoption;   Blessing;   Righteousness;   Temptation;   War;   Scofield Reference Index - Apostasy;   Thompson Chain Reference - God's;   Overcomers;   Promises, Divine;   Tempted, Promises to;   The Topic Concordance - God;   Hearing;   Man;   Victory/overcoming;   World;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Warfare of Saints;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Demon;   Friend, Friendship;   John, Theology of;   Union with Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Adoption;   Canaan;   John, the Epistles of;   Revelation of John, the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - John, the Letters of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Devil;   John, Epistles of;   Spiritual Gifts;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - John Epistles of;   Prince (2);   Sanctify, Sanctification;   World;   Worldliness;   Worldliness (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Child;   John, the Epistles of;   Spiritual Gifts;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
King James Version (1611)
Ye are of God, little children, and haue ouercome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world.
King James Version
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
English Standard Version
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
New American Standard Bible
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
New Century Version
My dear children, you belong to God and have defeated them; because God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world.
THE MESSAGE
My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world's language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Berean Standard Bible
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Contemporary English Version
Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God's Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world.
Complete Jewish Bible
You, children, are from God and have overcome the false prophets, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Darby Translation
*Ye* are of God, children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that [is] in you than he that [is] in the world.
Easy-to-Read Version
My dear children, you belong to God, so you have already defeated these false prophets. That's because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Litle children, ye are of God, and haue ouercome them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in this world.
George Lamsa Translation
But you are of God, my children, and have overcome them: because he who is among you is greater than he who is in the world.
Lexham English Bible
You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Literal Translation
Little children, you are of God and have overcome them, because He in you is greater than he in the world.
Amplified Bible
Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind].
American Standard Version
Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Bible in Basic English
You are of God, my little children, and you have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Hebrew Names Version
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
International Standard Version
Little children, you belong to God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; 1 John 5:4;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But you of Aloha are the children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is with you, than he who is in the world.
Murdock Translation
But ye children, are of God; and ye have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you, than he who is in the world.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Litle chyldren, ye are of God, & haue ouercome them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the worlde.
English Revised Version
Ye are of God, [my] little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
World English Bible
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ye are of God, beloved children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Weymouth's New Testament
As for you, dear children, you are God's children, and have successfully resisted them; for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye, litle sones, ben of God, and ye han ouercome hym; for he that is in you is more, than he that is in the world.
Update Bible Version
You are of God, [my] little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Webster's Bible Translation
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
New English Translation
You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
New King James Version
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
New Living Translation
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
New Life Bible
My children, you are a part of God's family. You have stood against these false preachers and had power over them. You had power over them because the One Who lives in you is stronger than the one who is in the world.
New Revised Standard
Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye, are, of God, dear children, and have overcome them; because, greater, is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Douay-Rheims Bible
You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Revised Standard Version
Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Lytell chyldre ye are of God and have overcome them: for greater is he yt is in you then he that is in the worlde.
Young's Literal Translation
Ye -- of God ye are, little children, and ye have overcome them; because greater is He who [is] in you, than he who is in the world.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Litle children, ye are off God, and haue ouercome them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the worlde.
Mace New Testament (1729)
ye are of God, my dear children, and you have overcome them: because he that is in you, is superior to him that is in the world.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But don't fret none, cowboys. You ride for God and have already defeated all these counterfeit cowboys. The Holy Ghost inside you is vastly more powerful than the lies in them.

Contextual Overview

4 But you belong to God, my children, and have defeated the false prophets, because the Spirit who is in you is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong to the world. 5 Those false prophets speak about matters of the world, and the world listens to them because they belong to the world. 6 But we belong to God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever does not belong to God does not listen to us. This, then, is how we can tell the difference between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

are: 1 John 4:6, 1 John 4:16, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 5:19

and have: 1 John 2:13, 1 John 5:4, Romans 8:37, Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 6:13, Revelation 12:11

greater: 1 John 4:13, 1 John 4:16, 1 John 3:24, John 10:28-30, John 14:17-23, John 17:23, Romans 8:10, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 6:13, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 3:17

than: 1 John 5:19,*Gr: John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 6:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 7:12 - but Aaron's Deuteronomy 13:3 - proveth 2 Kings 6:16 - they that be 2 Chronicles 32:7 - for there 2 Chronicles 32:8 - an arm Psalms 17:14 - men of Psalms 55:18 - there Isaiah 8:10 - for God Matthew 12:29 - General Matthew 12:44 - my Mark 3:27 - General Mark 10:24 - Children Luke 8:32 - besought Luke 11:22 - General John 13:33 - Little John 14:23 - make John 15:19 - were of the world John 16:33 - I Romans 8:9 - if so be Romans 8:31 - If Romans 12:2 - be not Colossians 1:27 - Christ 1 John 1:10 - his word 1 John 3:20 - God Revelation 3:12 - overcometh Revelation 9:11 - they had

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went away from the Lord 's presence and lived in a land called "Wandering," which is east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the ancestor of those who raise livestock and live in tents.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch suddenly appeared and passed between the pieces of the animals.
Exodus 13:12
you must offer every first-born male to the Lord . Every first-born male of your animals belongs to the Lord ,
Leviticus 9:24
Suddenly the Lord sent a fire, and it consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. When the people saw it, they all shouted and bowed down with their faces to the ground.
Numbers 16:35
Then the Lord sent a fire that blazed out and burned up the 250 men who had presented the incense.
Numbers 18:12
"I am giving you all the best of the first produce which the Israelites give me each year: olive oil, wine, and grain.
Numbers 18:17
But the first-born of cows, sheep, and goats are not to be bought back; they belong completely to me and are to be sacrificed. Throw their blood against the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, an odor pleasing to me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye are of God, little children,.... This, with what follows, is said for the comfort of the saints, and to deliver them from the fears of being drawn aside by the delusions of the false prophets, and antichrists; since they belonged to God, were his elect, and therefore could not be finally and totally seduced; they were the children of God by adopting grace, and could not become the servants of men; they were born of God, and so were kept by the power of God unto salvation, as all that are begotten unto a lively hope are; they were enlightened by the Spirit of God, and had a discerning of truth from error, and therefore could not be imposed upon:

and have overcome them; the false prophets, being in a good cause, fighting the good fight of faith, and having good weapons, particularly the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and invincible arguments from thence; and also gracious assistance from the Spirit of God, who gives a mouth that none can shut, and wisdom that none can resist; as well as an inward experience of the truth, and power of Gospel doctrines: a testimony within themselves, which will stand the whole shock and opposition of the enemy: the Vulgate Latin version reads, "and have overcome him"; antichrist, whose spirit was then in the world; or the world itself, or Satan, the god of the world; and so the Ethiopic version reads, "and have overcome the evil one", as in 1 John 2:13; the reason of which victory, and which adds to the comfort and support of saints in their present warfare, is,

because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world; by "he that is in the world" is meant either the devil, the prince and god of the world, and who goes up and down in it, dwells in the hearts of the men of it, under whose influence they are, and in whom he works effectually; or antichrist, whose spirit was now in the world, and whose doctrine was propagated by the false teachers, in whom he began to appear; but he that is in the saints, either God who dwells in them, and their in him, 1 John 4:15; is mightier than the man of sin, and his emissaries, to keep and preserve from all corruptions, and every false way; or Christ, who dwells in their hearts by faith, and is stronger than the strong man armed, and able to save and deliver out of his hands; or the Spirit of God; and so the Arabic version reads, "the Spirit that is in you"; who is in the saints, as a spirit of regeneration and sanctification, as a spirit of adoption, and the earnest of their inheritance; he is able to carry on the work of grace in them, and finish it, and will do it; and he, as a spirit of truth, is more powerful than the spirit of error; and when the enemy comes in like a flood, or pours in a flood of errors and heresies, he lifts up a standard against him, causes him to fly, and secures the saints from being carried away with it: compare with this the Septuagint version of Psalms 124:1, "if it had not been the Lord who was on our side"; which render it thus, "if the Lord had not been in us".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye are of God - You are of his family; you have embraced his truth, and imbibed his Spirit.

Little children - Notes, 1 John 2:1.

And have overcome them - Have triumphed over their arts and temptations; their endeavors to draw you into error and sin. The word them in this place seems to refer to the false prophets or teachers who collectively constituted antichrist. The meaning is, that they had frustrated or thwarted all their attempts to turn them away from the truth.

Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world - God, who dwells in your hearts, and by whose strength and grace alone you have been enabled to achieve this victory, is more mighty than Satan, who rules in the hearts of the people of this world, and whose seductive arts are seen in the efforts of these false teachers. The apostle meant to say that it was by no power of their own that they achieved this victory, but it was to be traced solely to the fact that God dwelt among them, and had preserved them by his grace. What was true then is true now. He who dwells in the hearts of Christians by his Spirit, is infinitely more mighty than Satan, “the ruler of the darkness of this world;” and victory, therefore, over all his arts and temptations may be sure. In his conflicts with sin, temptation, and error, the Christian should never despair, for his God will insure him the victory.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 John 4:4. Ye are of God — Ye are under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and have overcome them-your testimony, proceeding from the Spirit of Christ, has invalidated theirs which has proceeded from the influence of Satan; for greater is the Holy Spirit which is in you, than the spirit which is in the world.


 
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