1 John 5:16
What does 1 John 5:16 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 John 5:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 John 5:16 means
When a believer sees a brother committing a sin “not unto death,” the proper response is prayer. God uses such intercession to give life—that is, to restore the erring one. John then cautions: there is a “sin unto death”; he does not say we should pray concerning that. While he does not define it here, the context of the letter suggests hardened, defiant rejection of God’s testimony about His Son—evidence of being outside true life. The point is twofold: be ready to pray for restoration where repentance is possible, and be sober about the reality that some rebellion shows no signs of life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.
KJV
King James Version · 1611If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949If a man sees his brother doing a sin which is not bad enough for death, let him make a prayer to God, and God will give life to him whose sin was not bad enough for death. There is a sin whose punishment is death: I do not say that he may make such a request then.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862If any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask: and life shall be given to him who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death. For that I say not that any man ask.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890If any one see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life, for those that do not sin unto death. There is a sin to death: I do not say of that that he should make a request.
Context
Verse 16 applies the promise of verses 14–15 to intercessory prayer in the fellowship. It balances encouragement with restraint, introducing the category of a “sin unto death.” The next verse (17) prevents misunderstanding: all unrighteousness is sin, yet some sin is “not unto death,” for which prayer and restoration are appropriate. With this pastoral guidance given, the chapter will move to three closing certainties—about the regenerate’s relationship to sin and the evil one (verse 18), about our identity versus the world (verse 19), and about knowing the true God through His Son (verse 20)—before the final warning (verse 21).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 17:9
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:
- Genesis 20:17
And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.
- Numbers 14:11
And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them?
- Jeremiah 11:14
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble.
- Hebrews 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,
- James 5:14
Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
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