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

5And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 6And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. So we have these three witnesses— 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified 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 5:10All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.
• John 8:13The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”
• Psalms 33:6The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
• Isaiah 48:16Come closer, and listen to this. From the beginning I have told you plainly what would happen.” And now the Sovereign Lord and his Spirit have sent me with this message.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
• Matthew 3:16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
• Matthew 17:5But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
• Matthew 28:19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
• John 5:26The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.
• John 8:18I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
• John 8:54Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’
• John 10:37Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work.
• John 12:28Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
• 2 Corinthians 13:14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
• Revelation 1:4This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before 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