And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. So 'Aleph ('), Cyprian, Polycarp, Irenaeus (3: 8). Lucifer, Irenaeus, Origen, on Mark 25:14 , and Vulgate, read, 'Every spirit which destroys (sets aside, or does away with) Jesus Christ.' A B read only, 'Every spirit that confesseth not (i:e., refuses to confess) Jesus' (in His person, His offices, and divinity).
Ye have heard - from your Christian teachers.
Already is it in the world - in the person of false prophets (1 John 4:1).