1 John 5:17

1 John 5:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
• New International Version (NIV)All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Context of 1 John 5:17

15And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him. 16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he will pray and ask [on the believer’s behalf] and God will for him give life to those whose sin is not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for this [kind of sin]. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death [one can repent of it and be forgiven]. 18We know [with confidence] that anyone born of God does not habitually sin; but He (Jesus) who was born of God [carefully] keeps and protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].

1 John 5:17 word by word

πᾶσα ἀδικία ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, καὶ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• unrighteousnessἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for 1 John 5:17

• 1 John 3:4Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will].
• Deuteronomy 5:32Therefore you shall pay attention and be careful to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left [deviating from My commandments].
• Deuteronomy 12:32“Everything I command you, you shall be careful to do it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
• 1 John 5:16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he will pray and ask [on the believer’s behalf] and God will for him give life to those whose sin is not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for this [kind of sin].
• Isaiah 1:18“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be like wool.
• Ezekiel 18:26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits sin and dies because of it, it is for his sin which he has committed that he dies.
• Romans 5:20But the Law came to increase and expand [the awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has surpassed it and increased all the more,
• James 1:15Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death.
• James 4:7So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.

Commentaries on 1 John 5:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17All unrighteousness is sin - , Every act contrary to justice is sin - is a transgression of the law which condemns all injustice.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17All unrighteousness is sin … - This seems to be thrown in to guard what he had just said, and there is “one” great and enormous sin, a sin which could not be forgiven. But he says also that there are many other forms and degrees of sin, sin for which prayer may be made. Everything, he says, which is unrighteous - ̓́ adikia- everything which does not conform to the holy law of God, and which is not right in the view of that law, is to be regarded as sin…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Upon all this evidence, it is but right that we believe on the name of the Son of God. Believers have eternal life in the covenant of the gospel. Then let us thankfully receive the record of Scripture. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. The Lord Christ invites us to come to him in all circumstances, with our supplications and requests, notwithstanding the sin that besets us. Our…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17there is sin that does not lead to death: Sins that do not involve complete rejection of faith can lead to repentance and restoration (see James 5:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. "Every unrighteousness (even that of believers, compare 1Jo 1:9; 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 (1Jo 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:17

• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Idol
• Hope
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• righteous, righteousness, unrighteous, unrighteousness, upright, uprightness

Commentaries on 1 John 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings