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).} |