Christian Standard Bible
1 John 5:20
20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one — that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
1 John 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- New International Version (NIV)We know also 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 by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
Context of 1 John 5:20
18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one — that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Read all of 1 John 51 John 5:20 word by word
οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἥκει καὶ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν ἵνα γινώσκωμεν τὸν ἀληθινόν, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ ἀληθινῷ, ἐν τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀληθινὸς θεὸς καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- the Sonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- is comeἥκωhēkō · to come/be presentG2240
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- hath givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- an understandingδιάνοιαdianoia · mindG1271
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- we may knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- him that is trueἀληθινόςalēthinos · trueG228
- we areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
Cross-references for 1 John 5:20
- 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him.
- 1 John 4:2This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
- Matthew 13:11He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.
- Luke 21:15for I will give you such words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- Luke 24:45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- John 17:3This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent — Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption —
- 2 Corinthians 4:6For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 1:17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
- Ephesians 3:18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,
- Colossians 2:2I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery — Christ.
- John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- Revelation 3:7“Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens:
- Revelation 6:10They cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”
- Revelation 15:3They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb: Great and awe-inspiring are your works, Lord God, the Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of the nations.
- Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war.
Commentaries on 1 John 5:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20We know that the Son of God is come - In the flesh, and has made his soul an offering for sin; and hath given us an understanding - a more eminent degree of light than we ever enjoyed before; for as he lay in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him unto us; and he hath besides given us a spiritual understanding, that we may know him who is true, even the True God, and get eternal life from him through his Son, In whom we are by faith, as the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And we know that the Son of God is come - We know this by the evidence that John had referred to in this Epistle, 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 5:6-8. And hath given us an understanding - Not an “understanding” considered as a faculty of the mind, for religion gives us no new faculties; but he has so instructed us that we do understand the great truths referred to. Compare the notes at Luke 24:45. All the correct knowledge which we have of God and his government…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 All mankind are divided into two parties or dominions; that which belongs to God, and that which belongs to the wicked one. True believers belong to God: they are of God, and from him, and to him, and for him; while the rest, by far the greater number, are in the power of the wicked one; they do his works, and support his cause. This general declaration includes all unbelievers, whatever their profession, station, or situation, or by whatever…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20John states that Jesus Christ is the only true God (see John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1). we are in Him: Having fellowship or being united with Jesus Christ means having eternal life, because he is eternal life (see 1 John 5:12; John 1:4; 3:16; 14:6; 20:31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Summary of our Christian privileges. is come--is present, having come. "He is here--all is full of Him--His incarnation, work, and abiding presence, is to us a living fact" [Alford]. given us an understanding--Christ's, office is to give the inner spiritual understanding to discern the things of God. that we may know--Some oldest manuscripts read, "(so) that we know." him that is true--God, as opposed to every kind of idol or false god (1Jo 5:21)…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 5:20
In the dictionaries
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
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