4:6a

We: (Alternative Interpretations) There are two interpretations of this pronoun:

(1) It is probably exclusive, meaning “we apostles,” since the believers had heard the teaching of the apostles from John.

(2) Some think it is inclusive, meaning “we apostles together with you believers.”

4:6d

That: (Pronoun Reference) The word That refers to what John has just said. He is telling his readers that to test whether a person’s teaching comes from the Holy Spirit or from an evil spirit, they should see if that person follows the apostles’ teaching or not.

Spirit of truth: (“Of” Construction) This means the Holy Spirit, who reveals the truth about God.

4:6e

spirit of deception: (“Of” Construction) This means an evil spirit, or the spirit of the antichrist, which deceives people.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.