en_tn/1jn/04/05.md

They are from the world

"They" refers to the false teachers. "From the world" is in contrast to being from God. "The world" represents all things that oppose God. Alternate translation: "They are of the world" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)

therefore what they say is from the world

Here "from the world" is in contrast to being from God. Here "the world" represents all things that oppose God. Alternate translation: "therefore what the false teachers say is of the world" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)

and the world listens to them

The words "the world" are a metonym for people who do not obey God. Alternate translation: "so the people who do not obey God listen to them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)