1 John 5

1 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].

Whoever believeth that Jesus is the Messiah, is born of God. And whoever loveth the begetter, loveth him also that is begotten of him.

2 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].

And by this we know, that we love the children of God, when we love God, and follow his commandments.

3 [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].

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.

4 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.

Because, whoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, our faith.

5 ([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).

For who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 [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.

This is he who came by the water and the blood. Jesus the Messiah; not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit testifieth; because the Spirit is truth.

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

For there are three that testify in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.

8 [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].

And there are three witnesses, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are in union.

9 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).

If we receive the testimony of men, how much greater is the testimony of God? And this is the testimony of God, which he hath testified concerning his Son.

10 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).

Whoever believeth in the Son of God, hath this testimony in himself. And whoever believeth not God, hath made him a liar, by not believing the testimony which God hath testified concerning his Son.

11 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)

And this is the testimony, that God hath given to us life eternal, and this life is in his Son. (aiōnios g166)

12 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].

Every one that taketh hold of the Son, taketh hold of life; and every one that taketh not hold of the Son, hath not life.

13 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)

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

14 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).

And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that whatever we ask of him, agreeably to his will, he heareth us.

15 [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].

And if we are persuaded that he heareth us respecting what we ask of him, we are confident of receiving presently the petitions which we asked of him.

16 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.

If any one shall see his brother sin a sin which doth not deserve death, he shall ask, and life will be given him, to them I say who sin not as unto death. For there is a sin of death; and I do not say of this, that a man should pray for it.

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

For all iniquity is sin; and there is a sin which is not of death.

18 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].

And we know, that every one who is born of God, sinneth not: for he that is born of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.

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

We know, that we are of God; and all the world is reposing on the evil one.

20 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)

And we know that the Son of God hath come, and hath given us knowledge that we might know the True One; and that we might be in the True One, in his Son Jesus the Messiah. He is the true God, and the life eternal. (aiōnios g166)

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

My children, keep yourselves from idolatry.