1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children as well.2Here is how we know that we love God’s children. We know it when we love God and obey his commands.3In fact, here is what it means to love God. We love him by obeying his commands. And his commands are not hard to obey.4That’s because everyone who is a child of God has won the battle over the world. Our faith has won the battle for us.5Who is it that has won the battle over the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.6Jesus Christ was born as we are, and he died on the cross. He wasn’t just born as we are. He also died on the cross. The Holy Spirit is a truthful witness about him. That’s because the Spirit is the truth.7There are three that are witnesses about Jesus.8They are the Holy Spirit, the birth of Jesus, and the death of Jesus. And the three of them agree.9We accept what people say when they are witnesses. But it’s more important when God is a witness. That’s because it is what God says about his Son.10Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts what God says about him. Whoever does not believe God is calling him a liar. That’s because they have not believed what God said about his Son.11Here is what God says about the Son. God has given us eternal life. And this life is found in his Son.12Whoever belongs to the Son has life. Whoever doesn’t belong to the Son of God doesn’t have life.
Final words
13I’m writing these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God. I’m writing so you will know that you have eternal life.14Here is what we can be sure of when we come to God in prayer. If we ask anything in keeping with what he wants, he hears us.15If we know that God hears what we ask for, we know that we have it.16Suppose you see any brother or sister commit a sin. But this sin is not the kind that leads to death. Then you should pray, and God will give them life. I’m talking about someone whose sin does not lead to death. But there is a sin that does lead to death. I’m not saying you should pray about that sin.17Every wrong thing we do is sin. But there are sins that do not lead to death.18We know that those who are children of God do not keep on sinning. The Son of God keeps them safe. The evil one can’t harm them.19We know that we are children of God. We know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.20We also know that the Son of God has come. He has given us understanding. So we can know the God who is true. And we belong to the true God by belonging to his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.21Dear children, keep away from statues of gods.
1 John 5
English Standard Version
Overcoming the World
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. (Joh 1:12; Joh 8:42; 1Jo 2:22)2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. (1Jo 2:5; 1Jo 3:24; 1Jo 4:13)3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (Mt 11:30; Joh 14:15; 1Jo 2:3; 2Jo 1:6)4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (Joh 16:33; 1Co 15:57; Eph 6:16; 1Jo 3:9; 1Jo 4:4)5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1Jo 4:15)
Testimony Concerning the Son of God
6This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. (Joh 14:17; Joh 15:26; Joh 16:13; Ac 5:32; 1Jo 5:8)7For there are three that testify:8the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. (Mt 3:17; Joh 5:34; Joh 5:36; Joh 8:17)10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. (Joh 3:33; Joh 5:38; Ro 8:16; Ga 4:6; 1Jo 1:10; Re 12:17; Re 19:10)11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (Joh 1:4; 1Jo 2:25; 1Jo 4:9)12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (Joh 3:15; Joh 3:36; Joh 5:24; Joh 6:40; Joh 6:47)
That You May Know
13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (Joh 1:12; Joh 20:31)14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (Pr 10:24; 1Jo 2:28; 1Jo 3:21; 1Jo 3:22; 1Jo 4:17)15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God[1] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. (Job 42:8; Jer 7:16; Jer 14:11; Mt 12:31; Mr 3:29; Lu 12:10; Heb 6:4; Heb 10:26; Jas 5:15)17All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1Jo 3:4)18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. (Joh 1:18; Joh 17:12; 1Jo 3:9)19We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (Lu 4:6; Ga 1:4)20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (Lu 24:45; Joh 17:3; 1Jo 5:11; Re 3:7)21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1Co 10:7; 1Co 10:14)