FIRST JOHN

 

First John 5

1 ¶ Whoever believes that Jesus is the promised Savior is born of God: and everyone who loves the Father also loves the child born of him.

2 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 grievous.

4 For whoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 ¶ This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

7 For there are three who bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

8 And there are three who bear witness on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: and this is the testimony that God has given on behalf of his Son.

10 ¶ He who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart: he who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar; because he does not believe the testimony that God gave of his Son.

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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 believe in the name of the Son of God.

14 ¶ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us:

15 And if we know that he hears us, in whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that is not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who do not sin unto death. There is a sin unto death: I am not saying that he should pray for it.

17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

18 ¶ We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who is born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, so that we might know the one who is true, and we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

[Note: Verse 7 was cited by Cyprian in 255 AD, and by other writers in the forth, fifth, and sixth centuries AD.]

[Note: Verses 16-17 Any sin will damn if it is not forgiven (James 2:10). Therefore, the only sin that is unto death is sin that involves hardening the heart in unrepentance or unbelief (1Corinthians 5:1, Romans 5:20).]

[Note: Compare verse 18 with Galatians 3:6. Abraham believed God (i.e. was born again), and it was accounted to him for righteousness (i.e. no sin was imputed to him).]