9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater — because this is the testimony of God: that he has testified concerning his Son. [5:10] The one believing in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. The one not believing God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son. [5:11] And this is the testimony: that God gave us life of the age, and this life is in his Son. [5:12] The one having the Son has life; the one not having the Son of God does not have life.
1JN 5:9-12
Godʼs Testimony about His Son
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, testimony was a formal, legally binding declaration, often given in courts or public settings to establish truth. Jewish tradition also valued testimony, particularly in matters of divine revelation, as seen in the Torah and prophetic writings. For the first readers of 1 John, God’s testimony about His Son would have been understood as a definitive, authoritative declaration, surpassing human testimony in reliability and weight. The accusation of being a 'liar' carried severe moral and social consequences, implying deliberate deception and dishonor. Eternal life was not merely an abstract concept but a present reality tied to the 'age to come,' a Jewish eschatological expectation of God’s inaugurated kingdom. The passage contrasts belief and unbelief, framing belief in the Son as alignment with God’s testimony and unbelief as a rejection of divine truth, with eternal implications.
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How other translations render this
1JN 5:9
- KJV
- If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
- BSB
- Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son.
- Koinōnos
- If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater — because this is the testimony of God: that he has testified concerning his Son.
1JN 5:10
- KJV
- He 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.
- BSB
- Whoever 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.
- Koinōnos
- The one believing in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. The one not believing God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.
1JN 5:11
- KJV
- And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- BSB
- And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- Koinōnos
- And this is the testimony: that God gave us life of the age, and this life is in his Son.
1JN 5:12
- KJV
- He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
- BSB
- Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
- Koinōnos
- The one having the Son has life; the one not having the Son of God does not have life.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
1JN 5:9
- testimony:The word translated 'testimony' refers to evidence given in a legal setting, often by a witness who has direct, personal knowledge of the facts. It carries the weight of a sworn statement.
1JN 5:10
- a liar:The term used here for 'liar' describes someone who is not merely mistaken, but who intentionally deceives or speaks falsehoods, often with malicious intent.
1JN 5:11
- eternal:The word translated 'eternal' describes something belonging to the age to come, emphasizing its quality and nature as much as its endless duration. It is distinct from a word that simply means 'everlasting'.