1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
2By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.
3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
4because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
5Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth.
7For there are three that testify:
8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.
9Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son.
10Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.
11And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
14And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.
16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.
17All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.
18We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
20And 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.
21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 John 5 Verse Notes
1 John 5:7-8
The Johannine Comma and the Trinity
The only explicit reference to the Trinity in the New Testament, found in 1 John 5:7-8, states, "There are three that testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one." This passage, known as the Johannine Comma, is present in the King James Bible and Latin manuscripts but is absent from the vast majority of Greek manuscripts. It first appeared in Latin in the 4th century and was later inserted into Greek manuscripts, notably in Erasmus's third edition of the Greek New Testament under pressure. Scholars overwhelmingly agree it was not part of the original text, as scribes were more likely to add a Trinitarian statement than remove one.
Summarized by AI · The Scribal Corruption of Scripture: How the Bible Was Changed and Why Readers May Never Know · Lecture 1: Doubts and Debates About the “Original” New Testament | Can We Really Know, and Does It Matter? · watch the clip
1 John 5:7-8 and the Comma Johanneum
The passage in 1 John 5:7-8, which explicitly states 'there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one,' is the only place in the Bible that explicitly articulates the doctrine of the Trinity. However, this verse, known as the Comma Johanneum, is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts and was likely added to later editions, such as the one used for the King James Bible, to support the Trinitarian doctrine.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is the Trinity Really in the Bible? · watch the clip
The Johannine Comma and its Authenticity
The passage in 1 John 5:7-8, often cited to support the Trinity, states that the Father, the Word, and the Spirit are one. However, this verse, known as the Johannine Comma, was not part of the original New Testament text. It was added by a scribe centuries later and is not found in early Greek manuscripts, a point widely accepted by scholars.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Where Did the Trinity Come From? · watch the clip
1 John 5:7-8 and the Doctrine of the Trinity
The King James Version includes 1 John 5:7-8, which explicitly affirms the doctrine of the Trinity, stating 'there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.' This verse was not present in Erasmus's first Greek New Testament edition and was likely added later, as it does not appear in earlier manuscripts for centuries. Its inclusion in the KJV is due to a later, manipulated manuscript.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · What is the King James Version? · watch the clip
The Trinity Passage in 1 John
The only passage in the New Testament that explicitly states there are three divine beings who are one (referring to the Trinity) is found in 1 John 5:7-8. However, these verses were not part of the original Greek New Testament and were later added to the 'Textus Receptus' (Erasmus's edition). This highlights how textual changes can significantly impact core theological doctrines.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Changed the Bible, and Why? · watch the clip
Significant New Testament Variants
While many of the hundreds of thousands of differences among New Testament manuscripts are minor (e.g., spelling errors), some variants are highly significant. Examples include the only verse explicitly mentioning the Trinity (1 John 5:7-8), which is a later addition; the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11), not originally in John; and the final 12 verses of Mark (Mark 16:9-20), also not original. Additionally, the doctrine of atonement in Luke (Luke 22:19-20) was not originally present in some manuscripts. These variants, though not necessarily altering core doctrines (which are typically built on multiple passages), are significant for understanding the textual history and development of Christian beliefs.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · How Apologists Use (and Misuse) Manuscripts · watch the clip
1 John 5:7
KJV's Reliance on Flawed New Testament Manuscripts
A major problem with the King James Version, particularly for the New Testament, is its reliance on late and inaccurate Greek manuscripts. The translators used Erasmus's 16th-century Greek New Testament, which was based on a few inferior manuscripts. Consequently, the KJV includes passages not found in earlier, more reliable Greek texts, such as the story of the woman taken in adultery in John 7-8, the last 12 verses of Mark, and the Trinitarian statement in 1 John 5.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The KJV is a Literary Masterpiece, And a Disaster Study Bible · watch the clip
1 John 5:14-15
God's Intervention and Answered Prayer
The instructor reflects on the traditional Christian belief in an active, intervening God who answers prayers, as depicted throughout the Bible. From leading Israel out of Egypt to Jesus' miracles and the apostles' works, God is portrayed as loving and powerful, capable and willing to help. This belief is challenged by the widespread, unaddressed suffering in the world, leading the instructor to question the reality of such divine intervention.
Summarized by AI · Why I am Not a Christian: How Leaving the Faith Led to Life of More Meaning and Purpose · Lecture 2: My Leaving the Faith | Going Where the “Truth” Leads You · watch the clip
1 John 5:16
The 'Sin Unto Death' in 1 John
First John 5:16 mentions a 'sin unto death' for which believers should not pray, though the text does not explicitly define it. Scholars generally interpret this as apostasy, the abandonment of the Christian faith, aligning with the author's portrayal of antichrists who deny Jesus and separate from believers, similar to the concept in Hebrews 6:4-6.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 12: Three Enigmatic Letters | 1, 2, and 3 John · watch the clip
