1 John 5
Living Bible
5 If you believe that Jesus is the Christ—that he is God’s Son and your Savior—then you are a child of God. And all who love the Father love his children too. 2 So you can find out how much you love God’s children—your brothers and sisters in the Lord—by how much you love and obey God. 3 Loving God means doing what he tells us to do, and really, that isn’t hard at all; 4 for every child of God can obey him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him.
5 But who could possibly fight and win this battle except by believing that Jesus is truly the Son of God? 6-8 And we know he is, because God said so with a voice from heaven when Jesus was baptized, and again as he was facing death[a]—yes, not only at his baptism but also as he faced death. And the Holy Spirit, forever truthful, says it too. So we have these three witnesses: the voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism, and the voice before he died. And they all say the same thing: that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 9 We believe men who witness in our courts, and so surely we can believe whatever God declares. And God declares that Jesus is his Son. 10 All who believe this know in their hearts that it is true. If anyone doesn’t believe this, he is actually calling God a liar because he doesn’t believe what God has said about his Son.
11 And what is it that God has said? That he has given us eternal life and that this life is in his Son. 12 So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son, does not have life.
13 I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are sure of this, that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. 15 And if we really know he is listening when we talk to him and make our requests, then we can be sure that he will answer us.
16 If you see a Christian sinning in a way that does not end in death, you should ask God to forgive him, and God will give him life unless he has sinned that one fatal sin. But there is that one sin which ends in death, and if he has done that, there is no use praying for him. 17 Every wrong is a sin, of course. I’m not talking about these ordinary sins; I am speaking of that one that ends in death.[b]
18 No one who has become part of God’s family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God’s Son, holds him securely, and the devil cannot get his hands on him. 19 We know that we are children of God and that all the rest of the world around us is under Satan’s power and control. 20 And we know that Christ, God’s Son, has come to help us understand and find the true God. And now we are in God because we are in Jesus Christ his Son, who is the only true God; and he is eternal Life.
21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. Amen.
Sincerely, John
Footnotes
- 1 John 5:6 as he was facing death, literally, “This is he who came by water and blood,” see Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 9:31, 35; John 12:27-28, 32-33. Other interpretations of this verse are equally possible. as he faced death, literally, “not by water only, but by water and blood.” and the voice before he died, literally, “the Spirit, and the water, and the blood.” that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, implied.
- 1 John 5:17 that one that ends in death. Commentators differ widely in their thoughts about what sin this is and whether it causes physical death or spiritual death. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit results in spiritual death (Mark 3:29), but can a Christian ever sin in such a way? Impenitence at the Communion Table sometimes ends in physical death (1 Corinthians 11:30). And Hebrews 6:4-8 speaks of the terrible end of those who fall away.
1 John 5
New International Version
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
5 Everyone who believes(A) that Jesus is the Christ(B) is born of God,(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(D) 2 This is how we know(E) that we love the children of God:(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(G) And his commands are not burdensome,(H) 4 for everyone born of God(I) overcomes(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(K)
6 This is the one who came by water and blood(L)—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.(M) 7 For there are three(N) that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony,(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(P) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(R) 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,(S) and this life is in his Son.(T) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(U)
Concluding Affirmations
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God(V) so that you may know that you have eternal life.(W) 14 This is the confidence(X) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.(Y) 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know(Z) that we have what we asked of him.(AA)
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.(AB) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(AC) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(AD) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(AE) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(AF)
18 We know that anyone born of God(AG) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(AH) cannot harm them.(AI) 19 We know that we are children of God,(AJ) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(AK) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(AL) and has given us understanding,(AM) so that we may know him who is true.(AN) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(AO)
Footnotes
- 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. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)
1 John 5
New King James Version
Obedience by Faith
5 Whoever believes that (A)Jesus is the Christ is (B)born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and (C)keep His commandments. 3 (D)For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And (E)His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For (F)whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that (G)has overcome the world—[a]our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but (H)he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Certainty of God’s Witness
6 This is He who came (I)by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. (J)And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness [b]in heaven: the Father, (K)the Word, and the Holy Spirit; (L)and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: (M)the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
9 If we receive (N)the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; (O)for this is the witness of [c]God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God (P)has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God (Q)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 (R)He who has the Son has [d]life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, [e]and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Confidence and Compassion in Prayer
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that (S)if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and (T)He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. (U)There is sin leading to death. (V)I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 (W)All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
Knowing the True—Rejecting the False
18 We know that (X)whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God (Y)keeps[f] [g]himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and (Z)the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
20 And we know that the (AA)Son of God has come and (AB)has given us an understanding, (AC)that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. (AD)This is the true God (AE)and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Footnotes
- 1 John 5:4 M your
- 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.
- 1 John 5:9 NU God, that
- 1 John 5:12 Or the life
- 1 John 5:13 NU omits the rest of v. 13.
- 1 John 5:18 guards
- 1 John 5:18 NU him
约翰一书 5
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
信心使我们胜过世界
5 凡信耶稣是基督的,都是从 神生的;凡爱生他之 神的,也必爱从 神生的[a]。 2 我们爱 神,又实行[b]他的命令,由此就知道我们爱 神的儿女了。 3 我们遵守 神的命令,这就是爱他了,而且他的命令并不是难守的。 4 因为凡从 神生的就胜过世界;使我们胜过世界的就是我们的信心。 5 胜过世界的是谁呢?不就是那信耶稣是 神儿子的吗?
神为他儿子作的见证
6 这藉着水和血而来的,就是耶稣基督,不是单用水,而是用水又用血,并且有圣灵作见证,因为圣灵就是真理。 7 作见证的有三: 8 就是圣灵、水与血,这三样也都是一致的。 9 既然我们领受人的见证, 神的见证更该领受[c]了,因为 神的见证是为他儿子作的。 10 信 神儿子的,就有这见证在他心里;不信 神的,就是把 神当作说谎的,因为不信 神为他儿子作的见证。 11 这见证就是: 神赐给我们永生,而这永生是在他儿子里面的。 12 那有 神儿子的,就有生命;没有 神儿子的,就没有生命。
知道自己有永生
13 我把这些话写给你们信奉 神儿子之名的人,要让你们知道自己有永生。 14 我们若照着 神的旨意祈求,他就垂听我们;这就是我们对他所存坦然无惧的心。 15 既然我们知道他听我们一切所求的,就知道我们所求于他的,无不得着。
16 人若看见弟兄犯了不至于死的罪,就要为他祈求, 神必将生命赐给他—有些人犯的罪是不至于死的;有的是至于死的罪,我不是说要为这罪祈求。 17 一切不义的事都是罪,但也有不至于死的罪。
18 我们知道,凡从 神生的,必不犯罪;从 神生的那一位,必保守他,那邪恶者无法加害于他。 19 我们知道,我们是属 神的,而全世界都伏在那邪恶者的权势之下。 20 我们知道, 神的儿子已经来到,并且将悟性赐给我们,使我们认识那位真实者,我们也在那位真实者里面,就是在他儿子耶稣基督里面。这是真神,也是永生。 21 孩子们哪,你们要远避偶像。
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