1 John 5:21

1 John 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
• New International Version (NIV)Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Context of 1 John 5:21

19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked [one]. 20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know him that [is] true; and we are in him that [is] true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Children, keep yourselves from idols.

1 John 5:21 word by word

τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλωνRead the interlinear

• Childrenτεκνίονteknion · childrenG5040
• keepφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: protectG5442
• idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497

Cross-references for 1 John 5:21

• 1 John 2:1My children, these things I write to you in order that ye may not sin; and if any one sin, we have a patron with the Father, Jesus Christ [the] righteous;
• Exodus 20:3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
• 1 Corinthians 10:7Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16and what agreement of God's temple with idols? for ye are [the] living God's temple; according as God has said, I will dwell among them, and walk among [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people.
• Revelation 9:20And the rest of men who were not killed with these plagues repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the golden and silver and brazen and stone and wooden idols, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
• Revelation 13:14And it deceives those that dwell upon the earth by reason of the signs which it was given to it to work before the beast, saying to those that dwell upon the earth to make an image to the beast, which has the wound of the sword, and lived.
• Revelation 14:11And the smoke of their torment goes up to ages of ages, and they have no respite day and night who do homage to the beast and to its image, and if any one receive the mark of its name.
• Matthew 6:13and lead us not into temptation, but save us from evil.

Commentaries on 1 John 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Little children - · Beloved children; he concludes with the same affectionate feeling with which he commenced. Keep yourselves from idols - Avoid the idolatry of the heathens; not only have no false gods, but have the true God. Have no idols in your houses, none in your churches, none in your hearts. Have no object of idolatrous worship; no pictures, relics, consecrated tapers, wafers, crosses, etc., by attending to which your minds may be divided, and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Little children - This is a favorite mode of address with John, (see the notes at 1 John 2:1), and it was proper to use it in giving his parting counsel; embracing, in fact, all that he had to say - that they should keep themselves from idols, and suffer nothing to alienate their affections from the true God. His great object had been to lead them to the knowledge and love of God, and all his counsels would be practically followed, if, amidst the…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. 21In his closing words, John urges his community to stay away from anything that might take God’s place in their hearts. The literal wording is “keep yourselves from idols.” In the context of 1 John, the main “idol” would be any false teaching that leads people away from Jesus Christ, who is fully human and fully God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Affectionate parting caution. from idols--Christians were then everywhere surrounded by idolaters, with whom it was impossible to avoid intercourse. Hence the need of being on their guard against any even indirect compromise or act of communion with idolatry. Some at Pergamos, in the region whence John wrote, fell into the snare of eating things sacrificed to idols. The moment we cease to abide "in Him that is true (by abiding) in Jesus Christ," we…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:21

• Commandments
• Holiness
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Idol
• Child; Children
• Hebrews, Epistle to the
• Hope
• John, the Epistles of

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