1 John 5:8

1 John 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
• New International Version (NIV)the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
• English Standard Version (ESV)the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

Context of 1 John 5:8

6This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9If 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. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed the testimony that God gave of his Son.

1 John 5:8 word by word

τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ τὸ αἷμα, καὶ οἱ τρεῖς εἰς τὸ ἕν εἰσιν.Read the interlinear

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• areεἰσίeisi · they areG1526
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for 1 John 5:8

• 1 John 5:7For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.
• 1 John 5:6This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
• Matthew 26:26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
• Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
• John 15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify concerning me:
• Romans 8:16The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible for those who have been once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
• Acts 2:2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
• 2 Corinthians 1:22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
• Hebrews 13:12Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.
• 1 Peter 3:21The like figure to which even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
• Mark 14:56For many bore false testimony against him, but their testimony agreed not together.
• Acts 15:15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

Commentaries on 1 John 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The Spirit, and the water, and the blood - This verse is supposed to mean "the Spirit - in the word confirmed by miracles; the water - in baptism, wherein we are dedicated to the Son, (with the Father and the Holy Spirit), typifying his spotless purity, and the inward purifying of our nature; and the blood - represented in the Lord's Supper, and applied to the consciences of believers: and all these harmoniously agree in the same testimony, that Jesus…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth - This is a part of the text, which, if the reasoning above is correct, is to be omitted. The genuine passage reads, 1 John 5:7, “For there are three that bear record (or witness, ͂ marturountes) - the Spirit, and the water, and the blood.” There is no reference to the fact that it is done “in earth.” The phrase was introduced to correspond with what was said in the interpolated passage, that there are three…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. 88. agree in one--"tend unto one result"; their agreeing testimony to Jesus' Sonship and Messiahship they give by the sacramental grace in the water of baptism, received by the penitent believer, by the atoning efficacy of His blood, and by the internal witness of His Spirit (1Jo 5:10): answering to the testimony given to Jesus' Sonship and Messiahship by His baptism, His crucifixion, and the Spirit's manifestations in Him (see on 1Jo 5:6). It was by His…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:8

• Blood
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• Idol
• Agree
• Blood and Water
• Criticism of the Bible
• Hope
• John, the Epistles of
• Sacrifice
• Trinity
• 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