God’s Word Translation
1 John 5:12
12The person who has the Son has this life. The person who doesn’t have the Son of God doesn’t have this life.
1 John 5:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Context of 1 John 5:12
10Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony of God in them. Those who don’t believe God have made God a liar. They haven’t believed the testimony that God has given about his Son. 11This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son. The person who has the Son has this life. The person who doesn’t have the Son of God doesn’t have this life. 13I’ve written this to those who believe in the Son of God so that they will know that they have eternal life. 14We are confident that God listens to us if we ask for anything that has his approval.
Read all of 1 John 51 John 5:12 word by word
ὁ ἔχων τὸν υἱὸν ἔχει τὴν ζωήν· ὁ μὴ ἔχων τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ζωὴν οὐκ ἔχει.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 John 5:12
- 1 John 2:23Everyone who rejects the Son doesn’t have the Father either. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father.
- John 1:12However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him.
- John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, he will see God’s constant anger.”
- John 5:24I can guarantee this truth: Those who listen to what I say and believe in the one who sent me will have eternal life. They won’t be judged because they have already passed from death to life.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our approval, our holiness, and our ransom from sin.
- Galatians 2:20I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God’s Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins.
- Hebrews 3:14After all, we will remain Christ’s partners only if we continue to hold on to our original confidence until the end.
- 2 John 1:9Everyone who doesn’t continue to teach what Christ taught doesn’t have God. The person who continues to teach what Christ taught has both the Father and the Son.
- Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Commentaries on 1 John 5:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12He that hath the Son hath life - As the eternal life is given In the Son of God, it follows that it cannot be enjoyed without him. No man can have it without having Christ; therefore he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. It is in vain to expect eternal glory, if we have not Christ in our heart. The indwelling Christ gives both a title to it, and a meetness for it. This is God's record. Let no man deceive himself here…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12He that hath the Son, hath life - See the notes at John 5:24. John evidently designs to refer to that passage in the verse before us, and to state a principle laid down by the Saviour himself. This is the sense of all the important testimony that had ever been borne by God on the subject of salvation, that he who believes in the Lord Jesus already has the elements of eternal life in his soul, and will certainly obtain salvation. Compare the notes at John…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 Nothing can be more absurd than the conduct of those who doubt as to the truth of Christianity, while in the common affairs of life they do not hesitate to proceed on human testimony, and would deem any one out of his senses who declined to do so. The real Christian has seen his guilt and misery, and his need of such a Saviour. He has seen the suitableness of such a Saviour to all his spiritual wants and circumstances. He has found and felt…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12Whoever has the Son has life: Those who have the Son of God living in them have God’s eternal life now. They enjoy the presence of God's Spirit (2:20, 25, 27). They have the guarantee of eternity with God (see Ephesians 1:13–14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. the Son ... life--Greek, "THE life." Bengel remarks, The verse has two clauses: in the former the Son is mentioned without the addition "of God," for believers know the Son: in the second clause the addition "of God" is made, that unbelievers may know thereby what a serious thing it is not to have Him. In the former clause "has" bears the emphasis; in the second, life. To have the Son is to be able to say as the bride, "I am my Beloved's, and my…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 5:12
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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