1 John 5

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.

Whoever trusts that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the father also loves his child.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.

How do we know that we love God's children? When we love God and follow his commands.

3 For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.

Loving God means that we follow his commands, and his commands are not hard to bear.

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.

Everyone who is born of God defeats the world. The way we gain victory and defeat the world is by trusting God.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Who can defeat the world? Only those who trust in Jesus, believing he is the Son of God.

6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

He is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ. He did not only come by water, but by water and blood. The Spirit gives evidence to confirm this, for the Spirit is the truth.

7 For there are three who testify:

So there are three that give evidence:

8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.

the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and all three agree as one.

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.

If we accept the evidence that human witnesses provide, then the evidence that God provides is much more important. The evidence that God provides is his testimony about his Son.

10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.

Those trusting in the Son of God have accepted and hold on to this evidence. Those who don't trust God make God out to be a liar, because they don't believe the evidence God has given about his Son.

11 The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (aiōnios g166)

The evidence is this: God has given eternal life to us, and we have this life through his Son. (aiōnios g166)

12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever doesn't have the Son of God doesn't have life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (aiōnios g166)

I'm writing to tell those of you who trust in the name of the Son of God so you can be certain you have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.

We can be confident that he will listen to us as long as we ask in accordance with his will.

15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

If we know that he hears our requests, we can be sure that we will receive what we've asked him for.

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.

If you see your Christian brother or sister committing a sin that is not a deadly sin, you ought to pray and God will grant life to the one who's sinned. (But not for a deadly sin. There's a sin that is deadly, and I'm not saying people should pray about that.

17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Yes, all that is not right is sin, but there's sin that is not deadly.)

18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.

We recognize that those who are born of God don't keep on sinning. The Son of God protects them and the devil cannot harm them.

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

We know that we belong to God, and that the world is under the power of the evil one.

20 We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we 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. (aiōnios g166)

We also know that the Son of God has come, and has helped us to understand so we can recognize the one who is true. We live in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and is eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Dear friends, stay away from idol worship.