1 John 5:9

1 John 5:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
• New International Version (NIV)We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son.

Context of 1 John 5:9

7For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

1 John 5:9 word by word

εἰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν, ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν, ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• we receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• the witnessὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the witnessμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
• of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• greaterμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he hath testifiedμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207

Cross-references for 1 John 5:9

• 1 John 5:10He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
• John 3:32And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
• John 5:31“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
• John 8:17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.
• John 10:38but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”
• Acts 5:32And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
• Acts 17:31because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
• Hebrews 2:4God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
• Hebrews 6:18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
• Matthew 3:16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
• Matthew 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

Commentaries on 1 John 5:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9If we receive the witness of men - Which all are obliged to do, and which is deemed a sufficient testimony to truth in numberless cases; the witness of God is greater - he can neither be deceived nor deceive, but man may deceive and be deceived.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9If we receive the witness of men - As we are accustomed to do, and as we must do in courts of justice, and in the ordinary daily transactions of life. We are constantly acting on the belief that what others say is true; that what the members of our families, and our neighbors say, is true; that what is reported by travelers is true; that what we read in books, and what is sworn to in courts of justice, is true. We could not get along a single day if we…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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. If, &c.--We do accept (and rightly so) the witness of veracious men, fallible though they be; much more ought we to accept the infallible witness of God (the Father). "The testimony of the Father is, as it were, the basis of the testimony of the Word and of the Holy Spirit; just as the testimony of the Spirit is, as it were, the basis of the testimony of the water and the blood" [Bengel]. for--This principle applies in the present case, FOR, &c…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:9

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• God
• Hope
• John, the Epistles of
• receive, welcome, taken up, acceptance

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