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Faith Overcomes the World

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah[a] has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child. This is how we know that we love God’s children: we love God and keep his commandments. For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not difficult, because everyone who is born from God has overcome the world. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Who overcomes the world? Is it not the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This man, Jesus the Messiah,[b] is the one who came by water and blood—not with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three witnesses in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.[c] And there are three witness on earththe Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are one.

If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God and because he has testified about his Son. 10 The person who believes in the Son of God believes this testimony personally.[d] The person who does not believe God[e] has made him a liar by not believing the testimony that he[f] has given about his Son.

11 This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son. 12 The person who has the Son has this life. The person who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.

Conclusion

13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray that God[g] would give him life. This applies to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not telling you to pray about that. 17 Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that do not lead to death.

18 We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning. Rather, the Son[h] of God protects them, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are from God and that the whole world lies under the control of the evil one. 20 We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true God.[i] We are in union with the one who is true, his Son Jesus the Messiah,[j] who is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves away from idols.[k]

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:1 Or Christ
  2. 1 John 5:6 Or Christ
  3. 1 John 5:7 Other mss. lack witnesses in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three witnesses on earth—
  4. 1 John 5:10 Lit. God has this testimony in himself
  5. 1 John 5:10 Other mss. read the Son
  6. 1 John 5:10 Lit. God
  7. 1 John 5:16 Lit. he
  8. 1 John 5:18 Lit. the one who has been born
  9. 1 John 5:20 Other mss. read the true one
  10. 1 John 5:20 Or Christ
  11. 1 John 5:21 Other mss. read idols. Amen

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

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) This is how we know(E) that we love the children of God:(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(G) And his commands are not burdensome,(H) for everyone born of God(I) overcomes(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(K)

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) For there are three(N) that testify: the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 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)

21 Dear children,(AP) keep yourselves from idols.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. 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. And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)