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1 John 5
Modern English Version

Overcoming the World

5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the one born of the Father. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Witness Concerning the Son

6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 There are three who testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and the three are one. 8 There are three that testify on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are toward the one.[a] 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God which He has given concerning His Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he does not believe the testimony that God gave about His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life, and whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Purpose of Writing

13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 So if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.

16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin which does not lead to death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life. This is for those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I do not say that he should pray for it. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is a sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning. But whoever has been born of God guards himself, and the wicked one cannot touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true—His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:8 The earliest Greek manuscripts lack in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and the three are one. There are three that testify on earth.
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1 John 5
International Standard Version

Faith Overcomes the World

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah[a] has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child. 2 This is how we know that we love God’s children: we love God and keep his commandments. 3 For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not difficult, 4 because everyone who is born from God has overcome the world. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. 5 Who overcomes the world? Is it not the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This man, Jesus the Messiah,[b] is the one who came by water and blood—not with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three witnesses in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.[c] 8 And there are three witness on earth—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are one.

9 If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God and because he has testified about his Son. 10 The person who believes in the Son of God believes this testimony personally.[d] The person who does not believe God[e] has made him a liar by not believing the testimony that he[f] has given about his Son.

11 This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son. 12 The person who has the Son has this life. The person who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.

Conclusion

13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray that God[g] would give him life. This applies to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not telling you to pray about that. 17 Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that do not lead to death.

18 We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning. Rather, the Son[h] of God protects them, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are from God and that the whole world lies under the control of the evil one. 20 We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true God.[i] We are in union with the one who is true, his Son Jesus the Messiah,[j] who is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves away from idols.[k]

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:1 Or Christ
  2. 1 John 5:6 Or Christ
  3. 1 John 5:7 Other mss. lack witnesses in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three witnesses on earth—
  4. 1 John 5:10 Lit. God has this testimony in himself
  5. 1 John 5:10 Other mss. read the Son
  6. 1 John 5:10 Lit. God
  7. 1 John 5:16 Lit. he
  8. 1 John 5:18 Lit. the one who has been born
  9. 1 John 5:20 Other mss. read the true one
  10. 1 John 5:20 Or Christ
  11. 1 John 5:21 Other mss. read idols. Amen
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.

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