1 John 5:10
What does 1 John 5:10 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 John 5:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 John 5:10 means
Believers “have the witness in” themselves—an inward confirmation produced by the Spirit who applies God’s testimony to the heart. Unbelievers, by refusing this testimony about the Son, make God a liar. John exposes unbelief as a moral affront, not a neutral stance. The dividing line is how one responds to God’s word about Jesus. Faith receives and resonates with the divine witness; unbelief contradicts it. Assurance, then, is not presumption but alignment with God’s truth. This verse calls readers to humility before God’s testimony and warns that rejecting the Son is tantamount to accusing God of falsehood.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son.
KJV
King James Version · 1611He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949He who has faith in the Son of God has the witness in himself: he who has not faith in God makes him false, because he has not faith in the witness which God has given about his Son.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862He who is believing in the Son of God, hath the testimony in himself; he who is not believing God, a liar hath made Him, because he hath not believed in the testimony that God hath testified concerning His Son;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752He that believeth in the Son of God hath the testimony of God in himself. He that believeth not the Son maketh him a liar: because he believeth not in the testimony which God hath testified of his Son.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890He that believes on the Son ofGod has the witness in himself; he that does not believeGod has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness whichGod has witnessed concerning his Son.
Context
Following verse 9’s claim that God’s witness is greater, verse 10 describes two responses: believing, which enjoys the internal witness, and not believing, which insults God’s truthfulness. This sharpens the stakes and prepares for verses 11–12, where John states plainly what God’s testimony says—eternal life is God’s gift in His Son, possessed by those who have the Son. From there, verse 13 will state John’s purpose: that believers may know they have eternal life, a knowledge that leads into confident prayer in verses 14–15.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
- 2 Peter 1:19
And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:
- Hebrews 3:12
Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:
- Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God:
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?
- 1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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