New International Version
1 John 5:18
18We 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 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. 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20We know also 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 by being 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 is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
- 1 John 2:29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
- 1 John 3:9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
- 1 John 4:6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
- John 1:13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
- John 3:2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
- James 1:18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
- 1 Peter 1:23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 John 5:21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
- 1 John 3:3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
- Psalms 17:4Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded.
- Psalms 18:23I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
- Psalms 39:1I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”
- Psalms 119:101I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.
- Proverbs 4:23Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
- John 15:4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain 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
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