1 John 5

Our Victory over the World

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child also. 2 This is how we know that we love God's children: it is by loving God and obeying his commands. 3 t For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us, 4 because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith. 5 Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

The Witness about Jesus Christ

6 Jesus Christ is the one who came with the water of his baptism and the blood of his death. He came not only with the water, but with both the water and the blood. And the Spirit himself testifies that this is true, because the Spirit is truth. 7 There are three witnesses: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and all three give the same testimony. 9 We believe human testimony; but God's testimony is much stronger, and he has given this testimony about his Son. 10 So those who believe in the Son of God have this testimony in their own heart; but those who do not believe God, have made a liar of him, because they have not believed what God has said about his Son. 11 t The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Eternal Life

13 I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life—you that believe in the Son of God. 14 We have courage in God's presence, because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will. 15 He hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he gives us what we ask from him.

16 If you see a believer commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray to God, who will give that person life. This applies to those whose sins do not lead to death. But there is sin which leads to death, and I do not say that you should pray to God about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which does not lead to death.

18 We know that no children of God keep on sinning, for the Son of God keeps them safe, and the Evil One cannot harm them.

19 We know that we belong to God even though the whole world is under the rule of the Evil One.

20 We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we know the true God. We live in union with the true God—in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this is eternal life.

21 My children, keep yourselves safe from false gods!

1 John 5

1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.2 Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.4 For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.5 And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.7 And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth.8 For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one.9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son.11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.13 These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.14 And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:15 and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.16 If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.18 We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one.20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.21 My little children, guard yourselves from idols.