Devine Scripture

1 John 5:17

What does 1 John 5:17 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 John 5:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 John 5:17 means

John affirms two truths. First, “All unrighteousness is sin.” Nothing crooked is trivial. Second, “there is a sin not unto death.” Not every lapse indicates final separation from God. For the brother who stumbles, hope remains, and prayer is a means by which God grants life and renewal. This guards us from two errors: minimizing sin on one hand, and despairing of God’s restoring grace on the other. The church must take sin seriously while also actively seeking a sinning brother’s restoration, confident that God distinguishes between fatal rebellion and sins from which He raises His children.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

All evil-doing is sin: but death is not the punishment for every sort of sin.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

all unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Every unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not to death.

Context

Verse 17 clarifies the caution of verse 16 so believers neither excuse sin nor lose hope. With that balance, John turns to three “we know” statements that close the letter’s theological argument. Verse 18 asserts the regenerate do not continue in sin and are protected from the evil one. Verse 19 contrasts those “of God” with a world lying in the evil one. Verse 20 celebrates the coming of the Son of God and the understanding He gives to know the true God. The epistle then ends with a concise exhortation against idols (verse 21).

v.16If 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.

v.17This passage

v.18We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.

Cross references

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

  • Isaiah 1:18

    Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • Deuteronomy 12:32

    What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

  • Ezekiel 18:26

    When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

  • James 4:7

    Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

  • Deuteronomy 5:32

    Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

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