The Certainty of God’s Witness

This is He who came (A)by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. (B)And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness [a]in heaven: the Father, (C)the Word, and the Holy Spirit; (D)and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: (E)the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

If we receive (F)the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; (G)for this is the witness of [b]God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God (H)has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God (I)has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 (J)He who has the Son has [c]life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:7 NU, M omit the words from in heaven (v. 7) through on earth (v. 8). Only 4 or 5 very late mss. contain these words in Greek.
  2. 1 John 5:9 NU God, that
  3. 1 John 5:12 Or the life

This is the One who came (A)by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [a]with the water only, but [b]with the water and [c]with the blood. It is (B)the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are (C)three that testify: [d]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are [e]in agreement. (D)If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that (E)He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God (F)has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has (G)made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us (H)eternal life, and (I)this life is in His Son. 12 (J)The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:6 Lit in
  2. 1 John 5:6 Lit in
  3. 1 John 5:6 Lit in
  4. 1 John 5:8 A few late mss add ...in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth, the Spirit
  5. 1 John 5:8 Lit for the one thing

Celui qui est venu par l’eau et par le sang, c’est bien Jésus-Christ : il n’est pas passé seulement par l’eau du baptême, mais outre le baptême, il est passé par la mort en versant son sang[a]. Et c’est l’Esprit qui lui rend témoignage, car l’Esprit est la vérité. Ainsi il y a trois témoins : l’Esprit, l’eau et le sang ; et les trois sont d’accord.

Nous acceptons le témoignage des hommes ; mais le témoignage de Dieu est bien supérieur, et ce témoignage, c’est celui que Dieu a rendu à son Fils. 10 Celui qui croit au Fils de Dieu possède ce témoignage en lui-même. Celui qui ne croit pas Dieu fait de lui un menteur, puisqu’il ne croit pas le témoignage que Dieu a rendu à son Fils. 11 Et qu’affirme ce témoignage ? Il dit que Dieu nous a donné la vie éternelle et que cette vie est en son Fils.

12 Celui qui a le Fils a la vie. Celui qui n’a pas le Fils de Dieu n’a pas la vie.

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Footnotes

  1. 5.6 Le baptême a inauguré le ministère de Christ, qui s’est achevé par sa mort. C’est le même Jésus-Christ, Fils de Dieu, qui a été baptisé et qui est mort. Certains voient dans l’eau et le sang une allusion à Jn 19.34.

This is the one who came by water and blood(A)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.(B) For there are three(C) that testify: the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony,(D) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(E) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(F) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(G) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,(H) and this life is in his Son.(I) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)