5:1  EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring).

5:2  By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)--[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching].

5:3  For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).

5:4  For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.

5:5  Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]?

5:6  This is He Who came by (with) water and blood [His baptism and His death], Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--not by (in) the water only, but by (in) the water and the blood. And it is the [Holy] Spirit Who bears witness, because the [Holy] Spirit is the Truth.

5:7  So there are three witnesses {in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One;}

5:8  {and there are three witnesses on the earth:} the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree [are in unison; their testimony coincides].

5:9  If we accept [as we do] the testimony of men [if we are willing to take human authority], the testimony of God is greater (of stronger authority), for this is the testimony of God, even the witness which He has borne regarding His Son.

5:10  He who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] has the testimony [possesses this divine attestation] within himself. He who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him out to be {and} represented Him as a liar, because he has not believed (put his faith in, adhered to, and relied on) the evidence (the testimony) that God has borne regarding His Son.

5:11  And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

5:12  He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.

5:13  I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life.

5:14  And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to {and} hears us.

5:15  And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.

5:16  If anyone sees his brother [believer] committing a sin that does not [lead to] death (the extinguishing of life), he will pray and [God] will give him life [yes, He will grant life to all those whose sin is not one leading to death]. There is a sin [that leads] to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.

5:17  All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin which does not [involve] death [that may be repented of and forgiven].

5:18  We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over {and} protects him [Christ's divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him {or} touch [him].

5:19  We know [positively] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] is under the power of the evil one.

5:20  And we [have seen and] know [positively] that the Son of God has [actually] come to this world and has given us understanding {and} insight [progressively] to perceive (recognize) {and} come to know better {and} more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true--in His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). This [Man] is the true God and Life eternal.

5:21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. {Amen (so let it be).}