1 John 5:7

1 John 5:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
• New International Version (NIV)For there are three that testify:
• English Standard Version (ESV)For there are three that testify:
• New King James Version (NKJV)For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

Context of 1 John 5:7

5Who wins the victory over the world? Isn’t it the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This Son of God is Jesus Christ, who came by water and blood. He didn’t come with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood. These three witnesses agree. 9We accept human testimony. God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony that he has given about his Son.

1 John 5:7 word by word

ὅτι τρεῖς εἰσιν οἱ μαρτυροῦντες,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• there areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• that bear recordμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• the Wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for 1 John 5:7

• 1 John 5:10Those 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.
• John 8:13The Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn’t true.”
• Psalms 33:6The heavens were made by the Lord’s word and all the stars by the breath of his mouth.
• Isaiah 48:16Come here. Listen to this: From the beginning I have spoken nothing in private. From the time it took place, I was there. Now the Almighty Lord has sent me and his Spirit.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Almighty Lord is with me because the Lord has anointed me to deliver good news to humble people. He has sent me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to announce that captives will be set free and prisoners will be released.
• Matthew 3:16After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him.
• Matthew 17:5He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!”
• Matthew 28:19So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
• John 5:26The Father is the source of life, and he has enabled the Son to be the source of life too.
• John 8:18I testify on my own behalf, and so does the Father who sent me.”
• John 8:54Jesus said, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who gives me glory, and you say that he is your God.
• John 10:37If I’m not doing the things my Father does, don’t believe me.
• John 12:28Father, give glory to your name.” A voice from heaven said, “I have given it glory, and I will give it glory again.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.
• Revelation 1:4From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Good will and peace to you from the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne,

Commentaries on 1 John 5:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7There are three that bear record - The Father, who bears testimony to his Son; the Word or , Logos, who bears testimony to the Father; and the Holy Ghost, which bears testimony to the Father and the Son. And these three are one in essence, and agree in the one testimony, that Jesus came to die for, and give life to, the world. But it is likely this verse is not genuine. It is wanting in every MS. of this epistle written before the invention of printing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For there are three that bear record in heaven … - There are three that “witness,” or that “bear witness” - the same Greek word which, in 1 John 5:8, is rendered “bear witness” - ͂ marturountesThere is no passage of the New Testament which has given rise to so much discussion in regard to its genuineness as this. The supposed importance of the verse in its bearing on the doctrine of the Trinity has contributed to this, and has given to the discussion a…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-8Verses 6-8 We are inwardly and outwardly defiled; inwardly, by the power and pollution of sin in our nature. For our cleansing there is in and by Christ Jesus, the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Some think that the two sacraments are here meant: baptism with water, as the outward sign of regeneration, and purifying from the pollution of sin by the Holy Spirit; and the Lord's supper, as the outward sign of the shedding Christ's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8there are three that testify: The Holy Spirit came down on Jesus at his baptism (see John 1:32–34). The water refers to the water in which John baptized Jesus (see Matthew 3:13–15; Mark 1:9–11). The blood refers to the blood Jesus shed when he died on the cross (see Mark 15:37–39). These three (the Spirit, the water, and the blood) together proclaim that Jesus is God’s Son (1 John 5:6). After the phrase three that testify, a few very late manuscripts add…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. three--Two or three witnesses were required by law to constitute adequate testimony. The only Greek manuscripts in any form which support the words, "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one; and there are three that bear witness in earth," are the Montfortianus of Dublin, copied evidently from the modern Latin Vulgate; the Ravianus, copied from the Complutensian Polyglot; a manuscript at Naples, with the words added…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:7

• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ
• Trinity
• Word

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Idol
• Hope
• John, the Epistles of
• Trinity
• Truth
• testimony, testify, witness, eyewitness, evidence

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