1 John 5 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ, is borne of God: and euery one that loueth him, which begate, loueth him also which is begotten of him.
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
2 In this we know that we loue the children of God, when we loue God, and keepe his commandements.
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 loue of God, that we keepe his commandements: and his commandements are not burdenous.
3 For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
4 For all that is borne of God, ouercommeth this world: and this is that victorie that hath ouercome this world, euen our faith.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
5 Who is it that ouercommeth this world, but he which beleeueth that Iesus is that Sonne of God?
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is that Iesus Christ that came by water and blood: not by water onely, but by water and blood: and it is that Spirit, that beareth witnesse: for that Spirit is trueth.
6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; 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, which beare recorde in heauen, the Father, the Worde, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one.
7 For there are three who testify:
8◆ And there are three, which beare record in the earth, the spirit, and the water and the blood: and these three agree in one.
8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
9 If we receiue the witnesse of men, the witnesse of God is greater: for this is the witnesse of God, which he testified of his Sonne.
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 that beleeueth in that Sonne of God, hath the witnes in himselfe: he that beleeueth not God, hath made him a lyar, because he beleeued not ye record, that God witnessed of that his Sonne.
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 And this is that record, to wit, that God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life, and this life is in that his Sonne.
11 The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath that Sonne, hath that life: and he that hath not that Sonne of God, hath not that life.
12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
13 These things haue I written vnto you, that beleeue in the Name of that Sonne of God, that ye may knowe that ye haue eternall life, and that ye may beleeue in the Name of that Sonne of God.
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.
14 And this is that assurance, that we haue in him, that if we aske any thing according to his will, he heareth vs.
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 heareth vs, whatsoeuer we aske, we know that we haue the petitions, that we haue desired of him.
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 any man see his brother sinne a sinne that is not vnto death, let him aske, and he shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death. There is a sinne vnto death: I say not that thou shouldest pray for it.
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 sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.
17 All vnrighteousnesse is sinne, but there is a sinne not vnto death.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
18 We know that whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himselfe, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
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 knowe that we are of God, and this whole world lieth in wickednesse.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 But we know that that Sone of God is come, and hath giue vs a mind to know him, which is true: and we are in him that is true, that is, in that his Sone Iesus Christ: this same is that very God, and that eternal life.
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 Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21 Litle children, keepe your selues from idoles, Amen.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 John 1:12–13; 1 John 2:29; John 8:42; 1 John 4:7; 1 Peter 1:22–23
- 2 John 13:34–35; 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:22–24; John 15:17; 1 John 4:21
- 3 John 14:15; John 15:10; Deuteronomy 7:9; John 14:21–24; 2 John 6
- 4 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 4:4; John 16:33; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:5
- 5 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:1
- 6 John 15:26; Hebrews 9:14; John 16:13; Mark 14:24; John 14:17
- 7 Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Acts 5:32; Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:1
- 8 1 John 5:6–7; John 15:26; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:2–4; Romans 8:16
- 9 Matthew 3:16–17; Matthew 17:5; Acts 17:31; John 8:17–19; Acts 5:32
- 10 Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6; John 3:33; John 5:38; Hebrews 3:12
- 11 Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; John 3:36; 1 John 5:20; 1 John 4:9
- 12 John 3:36; John 5:24; John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:30; John 3:15
- 13 John 20:31; John 1:12; 1 John 3:23; 2 Peter 1:10–11; John 3:18
- 14 John 14:13; Jeremiah 29:12–13; Jeremiah 33:3; 1 John 3:21–22; John 15:7
- 15 Luke 11:9–10; Mark 11:24; Proverbs 15:29; 1 John 5:18–20
- 16 Hebrews 6:4–6; 1 Samuel 2:25; Jeremiah 11:14; Hebrews 10:26–31; Mark 3:28–30
- 17 1 John 3:4; James 1:15; Ezekiel 18:26–32; 1 John 5:16; James 4:7–10
- 18 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:4; Jude 21; Jude 24; 1 John 5:1
- 19 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 4:4–6; Galatians 1:4; Revelation 12:9
- 20 John 17:3; Luke 24:45; John 14:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 44:6
- 21 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Corinthians 10:7; Exodus 20:3–4; 2 Corinthians 6:16–17; 1 Thessalonians 1:9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- 1 John 5:7–8: the “three heavenly witnesses”
Older English and Spanish Bibles read: “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” These words, called the Johannine Comma, are absent from virtually every Greek manuscript before the late Middle Ages and from the Greek Fathers. The Patriarchal Text prints them in small type, kept at the wish of the Holy Synod. The Trinity does not depend on them.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
I Suppose ye remember, those of you who were present yesterday, to what place in the course of this epistle our exposition has reached: namely, "He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
… but is of antichrist." These words agree with what was said in the Gospel, that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Wherefore he again exclaims in his Epistle, "Every one that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, has been born of God;" knowing Jesus Christ to be one and the same, to whom the gates of heaven …
There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it." For he manifestly shows that there are certain brethren for whom we are not commanded to pray, although the Lord bids us pray even for our persecutors.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
And he that loveth Him that begat, loveth Him also that is begotten of Him; but he that despiseth Him that is begotten casts back the insult upon Him who begat.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
What about John then, when in his Catholic Epistle he says that there are Three that bear witness, the Spirit and the Water and the Blood?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)