English Standard Version
1 John 5:18
18We 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
Context of 1 John 5:18
16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. 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. 19We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20And 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.
Read all of 1 John 51 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 the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
- 1 John 2:29If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
- 1 John 3:9No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- 1 John 4:6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
- John 1:13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
- John 3:2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
- James 1:18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
- 1 Peter 1:23since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
- 1 John 5:21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
- 1 John 3:3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
- Psalms 17:4With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
- Psalms 18:23I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt.
- Psalms 39:1I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence."
- Psalms 119:101I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
- Proverbs 4:23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
- John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide 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
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries