New International Version
1 John 5:20
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.
1 John 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.
Context of 1 John 5:20
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. 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We 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. 21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Read all of 1 John 51 John 5:20 word by word
οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἥκει καὶ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν ἵνα γινώσκωμεν τὸν ἀληθινόν, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ ἀληθινῷ, ἐν τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀληθινὸς θεὸς καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- the Sonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- is comeἥκωhēkō · to come/be presentG2240
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- hath givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- an understandingδιάνοιαdianoia · mindG1271
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- we may knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- him that is trueἀληθινόςalēthinos · trueG228
- we areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
Cross-references for 1 John 5:20
- 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 4:2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
- Matthew 13:11He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
- Luke 21:15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- Luke 24:45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
- John 17:3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
- Ephesians 1:17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
- Ephesians 3:18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
- Colossians 2:2My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
- John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- Revelation 3:7“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
- Revelation 6:10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
- Revelation 15:3and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.
- Revelation 19:11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
Commentaries on 1 John 5:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20We know that the Son of God is come - In the flesh, and has made his soul an offering for sin; and hath given us an understanding - a more eminent degree of light than we ever enjoyed before; for as he lay in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him unto us; and he hath besides given us a spiritual understanding, that we may know him who is true, even the True God, and get eternal life from him through his Son, In whom we are by faith, as the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And we know that the Son of God is come - We know this by the evidence that John had referred to in this Epistle, 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 5:6-8. And hath given us an understanding - Not an “understanding” considered as a faculty of the mind, for religion gives us no new faculties; but he has so instructed us that we do understand the great truths referred to. Compare the notes at Luke 24:45. All the correct knowledge which we have of God and his government…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. 20John states that Jesus Christ is the only true God (see John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1). we are in Him: Having fellowship or being united with Jesus Christ means having eternal life, because he is eternal life (see 1 John 5:12; John 1:4; 3:16; 14:6; 20:31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Summary of our Christian privileges. is come--is present, having come. "He is here--all is full of Him--His incarnation, work, and abiding presence, is to us a living fact" [Alford]. given us an understanding--Christ's, office is to give the inner spiritual understanding to discern the things of God. that we may know--Some oldest manuscripts read, "(so) that we know." him that is true--God, as opposed to every kind of idol or false god (1Jo 5:21)…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 5:20
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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