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Selected Verse: 1 John 4:4 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Jo 4:4 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Ye--emphatical: YE who confess Jesus: in contrast to "them," the false teachers.
overcome them-- (Jo1 5:4-5); instead of being "overcome and brought into (spiritual) bondage" by them (Pe2 2:19). Joh 10:8, Joh 10:5, "the sheep did not hear them": "a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."
he that is in you--God, of whom ye are.
he that is in the word--the spirit of Antichrist, the devil, "the prince of this world." |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Ye are of God - You are of his family; you have embraced his truth, and imbibed his Spirit.
Little children - Notes, Jo1 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. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Have overcome
See on Jo1 2:13.
Greater
Compare Jo1 3:20.
In you
The Christian society. Compare Joh 6:56; Joh 14:20; Joh 15:4-10; Joh 17:23, Joh 17:26; Gal 2:20 (of the individual).
He that is in the world
In Jo1 5:19, the world is said to be in the evil one. Compare Eph 2:2. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Ye have overcome these seducers, because greater is the Spirit of Christ that is in you than the spirit of antichrist that is in the world. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| 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. |
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.