1 John 5:4

Translation
King James Version
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
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KJV (with Strong's)
For G3754 whatsoever G3956 is born G1080 of G1537 God G2316 overcometh G3528 the world G2889: and G2532 this G3778 is G2076 the victory G3529 that overcometh G3528 the world G2889, even our G2257 faith G4102.
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Complete Jewish Bible
because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust.
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Berean Standard Bible
because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
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American Standard Version
For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.
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World English Bible Messianic
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
For all that is borne of God, ouercommeth this world: and this is that victorie that hath ouercome this world, euen our faith.
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Young's Literal Translation
because every one who is begotten of God doth overcome the world, and this is the victory that did overcome the world--our faith;
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See also
1 Corinthians 15:571 John 4:4John 16:331 John 3:91 John 5:5Romans 8:35Romans 8:37
In the KJVVerse 30,629 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

First John 5:4 declares that every individual who has been regenerated by God possesses an inherent capacity to triumph over the fallen world system. This profound victory, which conquers the world's allurements, pressures, and opposition, is definitively identified as the believer's faith in Christ. The verse thus establishes a direct link between divine origin, spiritual triumph, and the active exercise of faith.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse sits within the concluding section of John's first epistle, where he reiterates and synthesizes core themes. Immediately preceding 1 John 5:4, John emphasizes the interconnectedness of loving God, obeying His commandments, and loving fellow believers (1 John 5:1-3). He asserts that God's commandments are not burdensome for those born of God, setting the stage for the declaration that such individuals overcome the world. Following this verse, John continues to elaborate on the witness of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, and the assurance of eternal life that comes through believing in Him (1 John 5:5-12). Thus, 1 John 5:4 serves as a pivotal statement, explaining how believers are able to fulfill God's commands and live victoriously in a hostile environment, directly linking their divine birth to their overcoming faith.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: John's audience was likely a community of believers in Ephesus or the surrounding region, grappling with internal theological challenges and external societal pressures. Internally, proto-Gnostic teachings were emerging, which denied the full humanity of Christ (docetism) and promoted a dualistic worldview that often led to moral licentiousness or extreme asceticism. These false teachings threatened the purity of the Gospel and the unity of the church. Externally, believers faced a Greco-Roman world steeped in paganism, emperor worship, and social norms that often conflicted with Christian ethics. The concept of "overcoming" (Greek: nikáō) would have resonated deeply with a culture familiar with athletic contests, military conquests, and philosophical debates, where victory implied superiority and triumph over an adversary. John applies this familiar concept to the spiritual struggle of the believer against the "world," which for him represents the fallen human system alienated from God, including its values, ideologies, and spiritual forces.
  • Key Themes: The verse encapsulates several major theological and narrative themes prevalent throughout 1 John. The theme of divine birth or regeneration is foundational, as seen in 1 John 2:29 and 1 John 3:9, emphasizing that a new spiritual nature empowers believers. Closely related is the theme of obedience to God's commandments (1 John 2:3-6), which is presented not as a burden but as a natural outflow of divine love and a sign of true faith. The concept of "the world" as an opposing force is a recurring motif, representing the anti-God system of values and desires (1 John 2:15-17). Finally, faith in Jesus as the Son of God is the central pillar, serving as the means by which believers are born of God and enabled to overcome the world (1 John 5:1). 1 John 5:4 masterfully weaves these threads together, presenting faith as the dynamic force that actualizes the believer's divine identity and enables their triumph over worldly opposition.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • born (Greek, gennáō, G1080): This word signifies to procreate or beget, but figuratively, it means to regenerate. In the context of "born of God," it emphasizes a spiritual rebirth, a new creation initiated by God Himself. This is not a human effort but a divine act that imparts a new nature and spiritual life, making one a child of God.
  • overcometh (Greek, nikáō, G3528): Meaning to subdue, conquer, or prevail. This verb is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing, characteristic action or a continuous state of victory. It implies a decisive triumph over an adversary, not just a temporary resistance but a definitive conquest.
  • world (Greek, kósmos, G2889): Referring to an orderly arrangement or decoration, but by implication, the world in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally). In 1 John, "the world" often refers to the fallen, rebellious human system that is alienated from God and hostile to His truth, embodying values and desires contrary to divine will.
  • faith (Greek, pístis, G4102): Meaning persuasion, credence, or moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation. It encompasses trust, belief, and fidelity. Here, it is presented as the active principle, the means by which the one born of God achieves victory over the world. It is not merely intellectual assent but a dynamic, active trust in God and His Son.

Verse Breakdown

  • "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:" This opening clause establishes the foundational truth: the divine origin of a believer is the source of their overcoming power. To be "born of God" implies a spiritual transformation, a new nature imparted by divine grace. This new nature inherently possesses the capacity to conquer the "world," which represents the entire anti-God system of values, desires, and spiritual forces that stand in opposition to God and His people. The overcoming is not a sporadic event but a characteristic of those truly regenerated.
  • "and this is the victory that overcometh the world," This clause reiterates and defines the nature of the triumph. It emphasizes that the overcoming is not merely a struggle but a definitive "victory" (Greek: níkē, G3529), a conquest. The repetition of "overcometh the world" underscores the central conflict and the assured outcome for the believer. It points to a specific, identifiable means by which this victory is achieved.
  • "[even] our faith." This final phrase explicitly identifies the instrument or means of this victory. The triumph over the world is not achieved through human strength, wisdom, or worldly strategies, but through "our faith"—the active trust and reliance upon God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It is this unwavering conviction and personal commitment to Christ that empowers believers to resist and overcome the world's temptations, deceptions, and persecutions.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several impactful literary devices. Repetition is prominent, with the phrase "overcometh the world" appearing twice, emphasizing the central theme of triumph and the pervasive nature of the world's opposition. This repetition reinforces the certainty of the victory for those born of God. Metaphor is central, as being "born of God" is a metaphor for spiritual regeneration, and "the world" is a metaphor for the fallen human system. The concept of "victory" itself is a metonymy for the means by which it is achieved, namely "faith." Furthermore, "faith" is almost personified as an active agent, the very force that overcomes the world, imbuing it with dynamic power. The verse also uses causal language ("For whatsoever is born of God...") to establish a direct relationship between divine origin and the capacity for victory, leading to the identification of faith as the specific cause of this triumph.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

The theological implications of 1 John 5:4 are profound, asserting that true spiritual life, originating from God, inherently equips believers for triumph over the pervasive influence of a fallen world. This victory is not achieved by human effort or moral striving alone, but by the dynamic and active principle of faith. This faith connects the believer to the very power of God, enabling them to resist the world's values, desires, and systems that stand in opposition to divine truth. It underscores the New Testament emphasis on regeneration as the foundation for a transformed life and highlights faith as the essential conduit for God's empowering grace, ensuring that the believer's walk is characterized by conquest, not capitulation, in the face of worldly pressures.

  • John 16:33: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
  • Romans 12:2: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
  • Ephesians 6:16: "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

First John 5:4 offers immense encouragement and a clear directive for Christian living. It reminds us that our spiritual identity as those "born of God" is not merely a theological concept but a powerful reality that grants us the inherent ability to live victoriously. The "world" here represents everything that stands in opposition to God's will and purpose – its alluring temptations, its deceptive ideologies, its systems of injustice, and its outright hostility to Christ. Our faith, then, is not a passive belief but an active, dynamic trust in God and His Son, Jesus. It is this living faith that empowers us to discern the world's snares, resist its pressures, and choose God's ways even when they are unpopular or difficult. This verse calls us to examine the nature of our faith: Is it a vibrant, active force that truly connects us to God's overcoming power, or is it merely a stagnant intellectual assent? It challenges us to lean into our divine origin and wield our faith as the decisive weapon against the forces that seek to draw us away from God.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific areas of your life do you feel the "world" (its values, pressures, or temptations) is most challenging your faith?
  • How does understanding that you are "born of God" change your perspective on your ability to overcome these challenges?
  • What practical steps can you take to strengthen your faith so that it becomes a more active and effective "victory that overcometh the world"?
  • How does your daily walk demonstrate that your faith is indeed conquering worldly influences, rather than conforming to them?

FAQ

What does it mean to be "born of God"?

Answer: To be "born of God" (Greek: gennáō ek theou) refers to the spiritual regeneration or new birth that occurs when an individual places their faith in Jesus Christ. It signifies a divine act of creation, where God imparts a new spiritual nature, transforming a person from spiritual death to spiritual life. This concept is foundational in John's writings, as seen in John 1:12-13 and John 3:3-8, where Jesus explains to Nicodemus the necessity of being "born again" or "born of the Spirit" to enter the kingdom of God. It's not a physical birth but a supernatural, spiritual transformation that gives one a new identity and a new capacity for righteousness.

What does "the world" refer to in this verse, and why do believers need to overcome it?

Answer: In the context of 1 John, "the world" (Greek: kósmos) does not refer to the physical creation or humanity in general, but specifically to the fallen, anti-God system of values, desires, and spiritual powers that are alienated from God and hostile to His truth. This includes the "lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" mentioned in 1 John 2:16. Believers need to overcome it because this "world" actively seeks to draw them away from God, conform them to its ungodly standards, and undermine their faith. Overcoming the world means resisting its temptations, rejecting its false ideologies, and living according to God's truth and commands, rather than being controlled or defeated by its influence.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The victory described in 1 John 5:4 is ultimately rooted in and fulfilled by the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our capacity to overcome the world through faith is not an inherent human ability but a direct consequence of Christ's decisive victory over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Just as Jesus declared, "I have overcome the world" in John 16:33, He accomplished this triumph through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection. Our "being born of God" is made possible by His sacrifice, as He grants us new life and a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, our faith, which is the instrument of our victory, is fundamentally faith in Him—in His finished work on the cross and His resurrection power. It is by uniting ourselves with Christ through faith that His victory becomes our victory, enabling us to walk in newness of life and conquer the very world that He Himself decisively defeated (Colossians 2:15). Thus, the believer's overcoming faith is a participation in Christ's own triumph, empowering them to live a life that reflects His dominion over all things.

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Commentary on 1 John 5 verses 1–5

I. The apostle having, in the conclusion of the last chapter, as was there observed, urged Christian love upon those two accounts, as suitable to Christian profession and as suitable to the divine command, here adds a third: Such love is suitable, and indeed demanded, by their eminent relation; our Christian brethren or fellow-believers are nearly related to God; they are his children: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, Jo1 5:1. Here the Christian brother is, 1. Described by his faith; he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ - that he is Messiah the prince, that he is the Son of God by nature and office, that he is the chief of all the anointed world, chief of all the priests, prophets, or kings, who were ever anointed by God or for him, that he is perfectly prepared and furnished for the whole work of the eternal salvation - accordingly yields himself up to his care and direction; and then he is, 2. Dignified by his descent: He is born of God, Jo1 5:1. This principle of faith, and the new nature that attends it or from which it springs, are ingenerated by the Spirit of God; and so sonship and adoption are not now appropriated to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, not to the ancient Israel of God; all believers, though by nature sinners of the Gentiles, are spiritually descended from God, and accordingly are to be beloved; as it is added: Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him, Jo1 5:1. It seems but natural that he who loves the Father should love the children also, and that in some proportion to their resemblance to their Father and to the Father's love to them; and so we must first and principally love the Son of the Father, as he is most emphatically styled, Jo2 1:3, the only (necessarily) begotten, and the Son of his love, and then those that are voluntarily begotten, and renewed by the Spirit of grace.

II. The apostle shows, 1. How we may discern the truth, or the true evangelical nature of our love to the regenerate. The ground of it must be our love to God, whose they are: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, Jo1 5:2. Our love to them appears to be sound and genuine when we love them not merely upon any secular account, as because they are rich, or learned, or kind to us, or of our denomination among religious parties; but because they are God's children, his regenerating grace appears in them, his image and superscription are upon them, and so in them God himself is loved. Thus we see what that love to the brethren is that is so pressed in this epistle; it is love to them as the children of God and the adopted brethren of the Lord Jesus. 2. How we may learn the truth of our love to God - it appears in our holy obedience: When we love God, and keep his commandments, Jo1 5:2. Then we truly, and in gospel account, love God, when we keep his commandments: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and the keeping of his commandments requires a spirit inclined thereto and delighting herein; and so his commandments are not grievous, Jo1 5:3. Or, This is the love of God, that, as thereby we are determined to obedience, and to keep the commandments of God, so his commandments are thereby made easy and pleasant to us. The lover of God says, "O how I love thy law! I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart (Psa 119:32), when thou shalt enlarge it either with love or with thy Spirit, the spring of love." 3. What is and ought to be the result and effect of regeneration - an intellectual spiritual conquest of this world: For whatsoever is born of God, or, as in some copies, whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world, Jo1 5:4. He that is born of God is born for God, and consequently for another world. He has a temper and disposition that tend to a higher and better world; and he is furnished with such arms, or such a weapon, whereby he can repel and conquer this; as it is added, And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, Jo1 5:4. Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armour and artillery by which we overcome; for, (1.) In and by faith we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and opposition to, the world. (2.) Faith works in and by love to God and Christ, and so withdraws us from the love of the world. (3.) Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual lusts by which the world obtains such sway and dominion over souls. (4.) It receives and derives strength from the object of it, the Son of God, for conquering the frowns and flatteries of the world. (5.) It obtains by gospel promise a right to the indwelling Spirit of grace, that is greater than he who dwells in the world. (6.) It sees an invisible world at hand, with which this world is not worthy to be compared, and into which it tells the soul in which it resides it must be continually prepared to enter; and thereupon,

III. The apostle concludes that it is the real Christian that is the true conqueror of the world: Who is he then that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Jo1 5:5. It is the world that lies in our way to heaven, and is the great impediment to our entrance there. But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God believes therein that Jesus Came from God to be the Saviour of the world, and powerfully to conduct us from the world to heaven, and to God, who is fully to be enjoyed there. And he who so believes must needs by this faith overcome the world. For, 1. He must be well satisfied that this world is a vehement enemy to his soul, to his holiness, his salvation, and his blessedness. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, Jo1 2:16. 2. He sees it must be a great part of the Saviour's work, and of his own salvation, to be redeemed and rescued from this malignant world. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, Gal 1:4. 3. He sees in and by the life and conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth that this world is to be renounced and overcome. 4. He perceives that the Lord Jesus conquered the world, not for himself only, but for his followers; and they must study to be partakers of his victory. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 5. He is taught and influenced by the Lord Jesus's death to be mortified and crucified to the world. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world, Gal 6:14. 6. He is begotten by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the lively hope of a blessed world above, Pe1 1:3. 7. He knows that the Saviour has gone to heaven, and is there preparing a place for his serious believers, Joh 14:2. 8. He knows that his Saviour will come again thence, and will put an end to this world, and judge the inhabitants of it, and receive his believers to his presence and glory, Joh 14:3. 9. He is possessed with a spirit and disposition that cannot be satisfied with this world, that look beyond it, and are still tending, striving, and pressing, towards the world in heaven. In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, Co2 5:2. So that it is the Christian religion that affords its proselytes a universal empire. It is the Christian revelation that is the great means of conquering the world, and gaining another that is most pure and peaceful, blessed and eternal. It is there, in that revelation, that we see what are the occasion and ground of the quarrel and contest between the holy God and this rebellious world. It is there that we meet with sacred doctrine (both speculative and practical), quite contrary to the tenour, temper, and tendency of this world. It is by that doctrine that a spirit is communicated and diffused which is superior and adverse to the spirit of the world. It is there we see that the Saviour himself was not of this world that his kingdom was not and is not so, that it must be separated from the world and gathered out of it for heaven and for God. There we see that the Saviour designs not this world for the inheritance and portion of his saved company. As he has gone to heaven himself, so he assures them he goes to prepare for their residence there, as designing they should always dwell with him, and allowing them to believe that if in this life, and this world only, they had hope in him, they should at last be but miserable. It is there that the eternal blessed world is most clearly revealed and proposed to our affection and pursuit. It is there that we are furnished with the best arms and artillery against the assaults and attempts of the world. It is there that we are taught how the world may be out-shot in its own bow, or its artillery turned against itself; and its oppositions, encounters, and persecutions, be made serviceable to our conquest of the world, and to our motion and ascent to the higher heavenly world: and there we are encouraged by a whole army and cloud of holy soldiers, who have in their several ages, posts, and stations, overcome the world, and won the crown. It is the real Christian that is the proper hero, who vanquishes the world and rejoices in a universal victory. Nor does he (for he is far superior to the Grecian monarch) mourn that there is not another world to be subdued, but lays hold on the eternal world of life, and in a sacred sense takes the kingdom of heaven by violence too. Who in all the world but the believer on Jesus Christ can thus overcome the world?

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
CATENA
Neither a Jew nor a pagan nor a heretic can do anything in the face of this victory which is ours through faith.
Andreas of CaesareaAD 614
CATENA
This means that such a person has overcome all evil and ungodliness. For our faith has destroyed all ignorance and driven out all darkness.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Catholic Epistles
And this is the victory that overcomes the world: our faith. Specifically, that faith which works through love; that faith by which we humbly seek the help of Him who said: In the world you will have tribulations, but take courage, I have overcome the world (John 16).
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Catholic Epistles
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Therefore, God's commandments are not heavy because all who devote themselves to them in true devotion equally despise the adversities and blandishments of the world with equal mind, even loving death itself as the entrance to the heavenly homeland. And lest anyone trust that he can overcome the world or its luxuries or labors by his virtue, it is deliberately added:
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on 1 John
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
John confirms the discourse again with others, thereby strengthening it in a certain way: If we have received the command from the Master to love one another mutually, surely if we believe that our Master and Teacher is Jesus Christ, who is Christ in the same way that God and man are: we shall also observe his commandments as both a Teacher and as God. Furthermore, believing him to be God, we are called his children: just as it is said in the Gospels: "But as many as received him, that is, as many as believed in him, he gave them the power to become the children of God." (Jn. 1:12) If, therefore, we are born of him, we shall also fulfill what is fitting for him who begot us. What is this? That we love him who created us, since it follows from the nature of children that they love their parents. Since this is the case, all of us who have believed are born of the same. If we are born of the same, we are also indebted to love one another: both because we are brothers and because we are born of the same.
And John adds this persuasion: that whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. Then he uses a change of discourse and says that love for brothers or the children of God confirms love for Him who created. For John previously said: "he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 Jn. 4:21):" now, however, in an inverted discourse, he says that whoever loves the children of God also loves God: and he places the sign of love for God as love for the brother. Then he also says that love for God brings about the observance of His commandments: rightly saying this: for "Whoever loves me," says the Savior, "keeps my commandments."(Jn. 14:21
"For this is the love of God." In the superlative (ὑπερθατῷ), that what is proposed should be understood in this way: For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Furthermore, and his commandments are not burdensome, it has been interpolated.
"and His commandments are not burdensome." Not as Christ said, "My yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30);" thus He Himself said that the commandments are light, but that they are not burdensome: for to him who is brought to virtue, even what is light is considered very heavy; just as to one who has lost strength and health, everything that makes for good, even what is very light, seems heavy. Indeed, because the commandments of God seemed burdensome to some, as they are God's, for this reason He says that His commandments are not burdensome. For what burden is there in loving a brother?
Furthermore, what burdensome does it cause to visit one who is in prison? For he does not command to free him who is in prison, which would be difficult, but only to visit; nor does he command to free the sick from their illness, but only to visit; nor does he command to set a lavish table for the hungry, nor to provide clothing to the naked prepared with unnecessary embellishment; but he requires what provides necessary use for him who is hungry or naked. After he has arranged these things in this way, he adds to what has already been said another thing that leads to the showing of love, what is that? Victory (ὴν νίκην). For John says: you who establish yourselves as sons of God by love for your neighbor, you already have this that accompanies that excellent deed, namely, to conquer the world; For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Then John adds victory, and what is the cause of victory, and he says that both agree with faith, namely, that which is towards God, which also born of God, has conquered and driven away all disbelief; neither Jew, nor Greek, nor Heretic can do anything against it.
And since faith does not conquer alone, but together with the one who possesses it, John adds: "And who is it that overcomes the world, except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" But who is this Jesus? “He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ”. (1 Jn. 5:6)
Theophylact of OhridAD 1107
COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN
Once you have become brothers and sisters in love, you must go on to the next stage, which is to overcome the world. For those who have been born again in God must expel every kind of unbelief from their midst.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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