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1 John 5:17
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15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and aHe will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. bThere is sin leading to death. cI do not say that he should pray about that.  
17 aAll unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.  

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

18 We know that awhoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God bkeeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.  
19 We know that we are of God, and athe whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.  
20 And we know that the aSon of God has come and bhas given us an understanding, cthat we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. dThis is the true God eand eternal life.  
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
<< 1 John 5:16   1 John 5:18 >>


1 John 5:17

"Every unrighteousness (even that of believers, compare I John 1:9; I John 3:4. Every coming short of right) is sin"; (but) not every sin is the sin unto death.

and there is a sin not unto death—in the case of which, therefore, believers may intercede. Death and life stand in correlative opposition (I John 5:11-13). The sin unto death must be one tending "towards" (so the Greek), and so resulting in, death. ALFORD makes it to be an appreciable ACT of sin, namely, the denying Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God (in contrast to confess this truth, I John 5:1, I John 5:5), I John 2:19, I John 2:22; I John 4:2-3; I John 5:10. Such wilful deniers of Christ are not to be received into one's house, or wished "God speed." Still, I think with BENGEL, not merely the act, but also the state of apostasy accompanying the act, is included—a "state of soul in which faith, love, and hope, in short, the new life, is extinguished. The chief commandment is faith and love. Therefore, the chief sin is that by which faith and love are destroyed. In the former case is life; in the latter, death. As long as it is not evident (see on I John 5:16, on 'see') that it is a sin unto death, it is lawful to pray. But when it is deliberate rejection of grace, and the man puts from him life thereby, how can others procure for him life?" Contrast James 5:14-18. Compare Matthew 12:31-32 as to the wilful rejection of Christ, and resistance to the Holy Ghost's plain testimony to Him as the divine Messiah. Jesus, on the cross, pleaded only for those who KNEW NOT what they were doing in crucifying Him, not for those wilfully resisting grace and knowledge. If we pray for the impenitent, it must be with humble reference of the matter to God's will, not with the intercessory request which we should offer for a brother when erring.




Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 John 5:17:

1 John 5:18

 

<< 1 John 5:16   1 John 5:18 >>

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