1 John5

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and such faith enables one to overcome the world by keeping God's commandments, which are not grievous. God's greater witness testifies that eternal life is found in His Son, Jesus Christ, and those who possess the Son possess this life. Believers can approach God with confidence in prayer, knowing He hears petitions made according to His will.

Faith, Love, and Overcoming the World

1
Whoever believes that Yeshua is the Messiah has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. ​
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. His commandments are not grievous. ​
4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. ​
5
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Yeshua is the Son of God?

The Divine Testimony

6
This is he who came by water and blood, Yeshua the Messiah; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ​
7
For there are three who testify: ​
8
the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. ​
9
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.
10
He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. ​
11
The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12
He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.

Assurance of Eternal 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, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. ​

Confidence in Prayer

14
This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. ​
15
And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
16
If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. ​
17
All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

Summary of Christian Knowledge

18
We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him. ​
19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20
We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Yeshua the Messiah. This is the true God, and eternal life. ​

Keep Yourselves from Idols

21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. ​

Study Notes for 1 John 5

Verse 1

John connects belief in Jesus’ messianic identity (Christ) directly to the new birth. True spiritual birth results in love for both God (the Father) and fellow believers (those begotten of Him).

Verse 3

True love for God is defined by obedience to His commands, not mere sentiment. His commands are 'not grievous' (or burdensome) because the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to fulfill them.

Verse 4

Overcoming the world—the system of human values alienated from God—is the characteristic of the spiritually born. This victory is achieved solely through faith in Christ.

Verse 6

The 'water and blood' likely refers to Jesus’ baptism (water) and His crucifixion (blood). John emphasizes that Jesus came fully, affirming both His physical humanity and His atoning death, countering Gnostic denials.

Verse 7

This verse (often called the *Comma Johanneum*) is absent from the earliest and most reliable Greek manuscripts. Most modern translations omit it or include a footnote, recognizing it as a later scribal addition.

Verse 8

The three earthly witnesses—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—attest to the full identity and saving work of Christ, providing undeniable assurance.

Verse 10

The believer possesses internal assurance (the witness of the Spirit). To reject God’s testimony concerning His Son is to call God a liar, a serious theological indictment.

Verse 13

This verse explicitly states the primary purpose of 1 John: to confirm the certainty (assurance) of eternal life for those who have already placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Verse 14

Effective prayer is conditioned on seeking things 'according to his will.' Confidence is based not on the power of the prayer, but on the alignment of the request with God’s purposes.

Verse 16

John distinguishes between categories of sin. The 'sin unto death' likely refers to apostasy or a willful, final rejection of Christ and the Spirit’s testimony (similar to the unforgivable sin).

Verse 18

The phrase 'sinneth not' (present tense) means 'does not live in a continuous state of sin.' The new birth provides protection; the 'wicked one' (Satan) cannot establish spiritual dominion over the true believer.

Verse 20

This verse is a profound summary, explicitly affirming the full deity of Jesus Christ ('This is the true God') and identifying Him as the source and embodiment of eternal life.

Verse 21

This final, abrupt warning relates to the core theme of the letter. Idolatry includes not only physical images but also false teachings (the heresy threatening the church) or anything that replaces Christ as the source of truth.

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