1 John 5

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.

All those who believe that Jesus is the (Messiah/person God sent [to rescue us]) are ones who [have truly] become children of God. And everyone who loves [a man who is] someone’s father will [be expected to] love that man’s children as well. [Similarly, those who love God, who has caused them to become his children] [MET], [should love their fellow believers, whom God has also caused to become his children].

2 By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.

The way we can be sure that we [truly] love God’s children is this: We are loving them when we love God and do what he commands [us to do].

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,

[I say this] because our obeying what God commands [us to do] is [the same as] loving him. And it is not burdensome/difficult for [us to do] what God commands [us to do].

4 because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to successfully resist (doing what/conducting our lives like) the people [MTY] [who] oppose God do. It is [only] by our trusting [in Christ] that we are able to (resist doing what/conducting our lives like) people in the world who are opposed to God [MTY] do.

5 Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

([I will tell you] who are the ones who are able to resist doing what the people who are opposed to God do./Do you know who are the ones who are able to resist conducting their lives like the people who are opposed to God [MTY] do? [RHQ]) It is those who believe that Jesus is (God’s Son/the man who is also God).

6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth.

[Think about] Jesus Christ. He is the one who came [to earth from God]. [God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when Jesus was baptized] in water [MTY] and [when Jesus’] blood [flowed from his body when he died]. [God showed this] not only [when Jesus was baptized] [MTY], but also when Jesus’ blood flowed [from his body when he died]. And [God’s] Spirit declares [truthfully that Jesus Christ came from God]. The Spirit always [speaks what] is true.

7 For there are three that testify:

There are three [ways] by which we know [that Christ came from God].

8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.

[Those three ways are: What God’s] Spirit [tells us, what God said when Jesus was baptized] [MTY] [in/with] water, and [Jesus’] blood [that flowed from his body when he died on the cross]. These three things all tell us the same thing, [that Jesus came from God].

9 Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son.

We [usually] believe what [other] people say. But what God says is more [reliable/trustworthy than what people say]. So [we must believe] what God has said is true [about] (his Son/the one who is also God).

10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.

Those who trust in the Son of God know within their (inner beings/hearts) that [what God] says [about his Son is true. But] those who refuse to believe that [what] God says is true are saying that God is a liar, because they refuse to believe what God has said about (his Son/the one who is also God).

11 And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (aiōnios g166)

This is what [God] says [to us]: “I have given you eternal life!” We will live forever if we have a close relationship with his Son. (aiōnios g166)

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Those who have [a close relationship with God’s] Son (OR, who have accepted what God’s Son [has done for them]) have [already] begun to live [forever]. [But] those who do not have a relationship with (God’s Son/the one who is also God) (OR, who have not accepted what God’s Son has done for them) have not begun [to] live [forever].

13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

I have written this [letter] to you who believe that Jesus is [MTY] (God’s Son/the one who is also God) in order that you may know that you have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

14 And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Because we have a close relationship with him, we are very confident that he hears us when we ask him [to do anything] that is in accordance with (his will/what he desires).

15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

[And] since we know that he hears whenever we ask [him for something], we [also] know that [it is as though] he has [already] done what we requested him [to do].

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.

Those who see one of their fellow believers sinning in a way that does not result in being eternally separated from God should ask [God to help that fellow believer]; and [as a result God] will help that fellow believer and enable him or her to live [eternally. But some people] sin [in a manner that causes them] to be separated from God eternally. I am not saying that [you should] ask [God to help] people who sin like that.

17 All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.

Everyone who does what is wrong is sinning, but there are some sins that do not cause a person to be separated from God.

18 We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.

We know that if a person has new life from God [MET], that person does not continue sinning. Instead, the (Son of/one who is also) God protects him so that [Satan], the evil one, does not harm him [spiritually].

19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

We know that we belong to God, and [we know] that the evil one controls all [the evil people in] [MTY] the world.

20 And 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. (aiōnios g166)

We also know that (God’s Son/the one who is also God) has come [to us], and [we know] that he has enabled us to know God, the one who is really/truly God. So now we have a close relationship with [God because] we belong to Jesus Christ, the one who is the (Son of/man who is also) God. Jesus Christ is truly God, and [he is the one who enables us to have] eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

[I say to] you who are very dear to me, guard/keep yourselves from [worshipping] gods [that have no real power]!