1 John 5:13-21

Common English Bible

Confidence in prayer

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of God’s Son so that you can know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence that we have in our relationship with God: If we ask for anything in agreement with his will, he listens to us. ¹⁵ If we know that he listens to whatever we ask, we know that we have received what we asked from him. ¹⁶ If anyone sees a brother or sister committing a sin that does not result in death, they should pray, and God will give life to them—that is, to those who commit sins that don’t result in death. There is a sin that results in death—I’m not saying that you should pray about that. ¹⁷ Every unrighteous action is sin, but there is a sin that does not result in death.

Be on guard

¹⁸ We know that everyone born from God does not sin, but the ones born from God guard themselves,^[a] and the evil one cannot touch them. ¹⁹ We know we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰ We know that God’s Son has come and has given us understanding to know the one who is true. We are in the one who is true by being in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. ²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols!