The First Epistle General of John

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- Chapter 5 -

All those who believe that Jesus is the Christ are children of God, born from God. And whoever loves anyone who is a father certainly loves his child also.

We can be sure that we truly love God’s children when we love God and do what he commands us to do.

I am saying this because what loving God really means is that we do what he commands. Also, it is not difficult to do what he commands.

All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to refuse to do what unbelievers want us to do. We are stronger than everything that is against God. We are able to refuse to do wrong because we trust in Messiah.

Who is the person who is stronger than everything that is against God? It is anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Think about Jesus Christ. He is the one who came to earth from God. God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when John baptized Jesus in water, but also when Jesus’ blood flowed from his body when he died. And God’s Spirit declares truthfully that Jesus Christ came from God.

These three are like three witnesses who give testimony:

God’s Spirit, the water and the blood. These three all tell us the same thing.

God’s Testimony about His Son

We usually believe what other people tell us. But we can certainly trust much more in what God says. And he has certainly testified about his Son.

Those who trust in the Son of God know within their inner beings what is true about him. But those who do not believe what God says call him a liar, because they have refused to believe what God has testified about his Son.

This is what God says to us: “I have given you eternal life.” We will live forever if we are joined with his Son.

Those who are joined with God’s Son will live forever with God. Those who are not joined with him will not live forever.

Effective Prayer

I have written this letter to you who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, in order that you may know that you will live forever.

Because we are joined with him, we are very confident that he hears us when we ask him to do anything he approves of.

Also, if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, then we can be sure that we will receive whatever we asked from him.

Suppose you see one of our fellow believers sinning in a way that would not separate them from God, and when you see them sinning, you should ask God and pray that God will give that person life, that is, to that person who is not commiting a sin that would separate him from God. But there are some people who sin in a way that causes them to be separated from God forever. I am not saying you should ask God to help people who sin in that way.

Everything that is wrong is a sin against God, but not every bad thing we do can separate us from God forever.

The True God

We know that if a person is a child of God, he does not keep sinning again and again. Instead, the Son of God protects him so that Satan, the evil one, does not harm him.

We know that we belong to God, and we know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

We also know that the Son of God has come among us and has enabled us to understand the truth; we are joined to him who is true, God’s Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is truly God, and he is the one who enables us to have eternal life.

I say to you who are very dear to me, guard yourselves from worshiping gods that have no real power.

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.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.

For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

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.

For there are three who testify:(a)

the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.

God’s Testimony about His Son

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.

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.

The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.

Effective Prayer

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.

This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.

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.

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.

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

The True God

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.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

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.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Footnotes

(a)5:7 Only a few recent manuscripts add “in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth:”