Devine Scripture

1 John 5:11

What does 1 John 5:11 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 John 5:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 John 5:11 means

God’s testimony is clear and gracious: “God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Eternal life is a gift, not earned; and it is located in a Person, not in abstract spirituality or moral effort. To receive the Son is to receive life itself, because He is the living source. All of salvation’s blessings flow from union with Him. This centers hope not in our performance but in God’s giving and Christ’s sufficiency. The gospel’s simplicity shines: God gives; life is in His Son. Faith rests there and finds assurance in God’s declared purpose and provision.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And his witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and this is the testimony, that life age-during did God give to us, and this--the life--is in His Son;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And this is the testimony that God hath given to us eternal life. And this life is in his Son.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And this is the witness, thatGod has given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.

Context

Verse 11 crystallizes the content of the divine witness anticipated in verses 6–10. It sets up the stark either/or of verse 12—having the Son equals having life; lacking the Son means lacking life. Together, these verses provide the theological bedrock for the assurance statement in verse 13. Once assurance is established, John will move to practical implications: boldness in prayer according to God’s will (verses 14–15) and discernment in intercession for sinning brothers, including sober limits (verses 16–17).

v.10He 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.

v.11This passage

v.12He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 4:36

    He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

  • John 5:21

    For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will.

  • John 19:35

    And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe.

  • John 1:19

    And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?

  • John 8:13

    The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true.

  • 1 John 5:10

    He 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.

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