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 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 insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

1 John 5:21 word by word

τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλωνRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Little childrenτεκνίονteknion · childrenG5040
• keepφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: protectG5442
• yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• idolsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• Amenἀμήνamēn · amenG281

Cross-references for 1 John 5:21

• 1 John 2:1(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One,
• Exodus 20:3“You shall have no other gods before me.
• 1 Corinthians 10:7So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:16And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
• Revelation 9:20The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about.
• Revelation 13:14and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
• Revelation 14:11And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.”
• Matthew 6:13And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

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