1 John 5:18

1 John 5:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
• New International Version (NIV)We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Context of 1 John 5:18

16If you see that another Christian is doing something bad, this is what you should do. If it is a sin that does not cause death, pray that God will help him. Then God will help that person to live for ever with him. That is for a sin which does not cause death. But there is a sin that causes death. If another Christian does that, I am not saying that you should pray for God to help that person. 17Any wrong thing that a person does is sin. But not all sins cause death. Nobody who has become a child of God continues to do wrong things. Instead, the Son of God keeps him safe. Satan cannot do anything against a child of God. 19We know that we belong to God. We know that Satan rules all the people who belong to this world. 20We also know that the Son of God has come into the world. He has helped us to understand what is true. As a result, we know the only true God. We live together with this true God, because we belong to his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He is the one who gives us life with God for ever.

1 John 5:18 word by word

οἴδαμεν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ τηρεῖ ἑαυτόν, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς οὐχ ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• We knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• whosoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
• is bornγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• sinnethἁμαρτάνωhamartanō · to sinG264
• notοὐou · noG3756
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• keepethτηρέωtēreō · to keep: protectG5083
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• wicked oneπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• touchethἅπτωhaptomai · to touchG680
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for 1 John 5:18

• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is God's Messiah has become a child of God. And if we love God, our Father, we will love his other children too.
• 1 John 2:29You know that Christ only does what is right. So you should know this: Everyone who continues to do what is right has become a child of God.
• 1 John 3:9Everybody who is a child of God does not continue to do wrong things. This is because God has given them a new life. He has caused them to become his children. So they cannot continue to do wrong things.
• 1 John 4:6But we belong to God. Everyone who knows God believes our message. But anyone who does not belong to God does not believe it. So that is how we know if someone's message comes from God's Spirit or not. God's Spirit brings us a true message, but false spirits tell lies.
• John 1:13They did not become God's children in the usual human way. They were not born because some people wanted to have children. They were not born because of what any man decided. No! They were born from God.
• John 3:2He came to speak with Jesus at night. He said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we know that God has sent you to us. We have seen the miracles that you are doing. Nobody could do these things unless God was with him.’
• James 1:18He chose to make us his children. He used his true message to do that. Because of that, we are like the first special gift that belongs to him from among everything that he has made.
• 1 Peter 1:23You now have a new life! It is not like a human life that quickly comes to an end. It is a new life that will never spoil. You received it because you believed God's message. That message continues for ever and it does not change.
• 1 John 5:21My little children, be careful to keep away from idols.
• 1 John 3:3Christ is completely good. So all of us who hope to see him then must keep ourselves clean from sin.
• Psalms 17:4I have watched people do bad things. But I have obeyed your commands. I have not joined with cruel people to do what they do.
• Psalms 18:23He knows that I have done nothing that is wrong. I kept away from any sin.
• Psalms 39:1I said, ‘I will be careful what I do, so that I do not sin. I will also be careful what I say. When wicked people are listening, I will not even open my mouth.’
• Psalms 119:101I do not follow evil ways, so that I can obey your word.
• Proverbs 4:23Be very careful to keep your mind safe. The thoughts that you think make you the person that you are.
• John 15:4Continue to live in me, and I will continue to live in you. A branch cannot make fruit by itself. It can make fruit only if it continues to be part of the vine. You are like that. You cannot make fruit unless you continue to live in me.

Commentaries on 1 John 5:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Whosoever is born of God sinneth not - This is spoken of adult Christians; they are cleansed from all unrighteousness, consequently from all sin, 1 John 1:7-9. Keepeth himself - That is, in the love of God, Judges 1:21, by building up himself on his most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; and that wicked one - the devil, toucheth him not - finds nothing of his own nature in him on which he can work, Christ dwelling in his heart by faith.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not - Is not habitually and characteristically a sinner; does not ultimately and finally sin and perish; cannot, therefore, commit the unpardonable sin. Though he may fall into sin, and grieve his brethren, yet we are never to cease to pray for a true Christian: we are never to feel that he has committed the sin which has never forgiveness, and that he has thrown himself beyond the reach of our prayers. This…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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (1Jo 3:9.) We know--Thrice repeated emphatically, to enforce the three truths which the words preface, as matters of the brethren's joint experimental knowledge. This 1Jo 5:18 warns against abusing 1Jo 5:16, 17, as warranting carnal security. whosoever--Greek, "every one who." Not only advanced believers, but every one who is born again, "sinneth not." he that is begotten--Greek aorist, "has been (once for all in past time) begotten of God"; in the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:18

• Holiness
• Perfection
• Regeneration
• Righteousness
• Satan
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Idol
• Bear; Born
• Begotten
• Hope
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• Satan

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