1 John 5:18-19 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:18-21

Here we have, I. A recapitulation of the privileges and advantages of sound Christian believers. 1. They are secured against sin, against the fulness of its dominion or the fulness of its guilt: We know that whosoever is born of God (and the believer in Christ is born of God, 1 John 5:1) sinneth not (1 John 5:18), sinneth not with that fulness of heart and spirit that the unregenerate do (as was said 1 John 3:6, 9), and consequently not with that fulness of guilt that attends the sins of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:18-20

5:18-20 We know that he who has received his birth from God does not sin, but he whose birth was from God keeps him, and the Evil One does not touch him. We know that it is from God that we draw our being, and the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One. We know that the Son of God has come, and that he has given us discernment to come to know the Real One; and we are in the Real One, even through his Son Jesus Christ. This is the real God and this is eternal life. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:18

We know that whosoever is born of God ,.... Who is regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and quickened by his power; who has Christ formed in him, and is made a partaker of the divine nature, and has every grace implanted in him: sinneth not ; the sin unto death; nor does he live in sin, or is under the power and dominion of it, though he does not live without it; See Gill on 1 John 3:9 ; but he that is begotten of God ; the Vulgate Latin version reads, "the generation of God keeps... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:19

And we know that we are of God ,.... The sons of God, and regenerated by him; this is known by the Spirit of God, which witnesses to the spirits of the saints that they are the children of God; and by the fruits and effects of regenerating grace, as love to the brethren, and the like: and the whole world lies in wickedness ; that is, the men of the world, the greater part of the inhabitants of it, who are as they were when they came into it, not being born of God; these are addicted to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:18

Whosoever is born of God sinneth not - This is spoken of adult Christians; they are cleansed from all unrighteousness, consequently from all sin, 1 John 1:7-9 . Keepeth himself - That is, in the love of God, Judges 1:21 , by building up himself on his most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; and that wicked one - the devil, toucheth him not - finds nothing of his own nature in him on which he can work, Christ dwelling in his heart by faith. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:19

We know that we are of God - Have the fullest proof of the truth of Christianity, and of our own reconciliation to God through the death of his Son. The whole world lieth in wickedness - Εν τῳ πονηρῳ κειται· Lieth in the wicked one - is embraced in the arms of the devil, where it lies fast asleep and carnally secure, deriving its heat and power from its infernal fosterer. What a truly awful state! And do not the actions, tempers, propensities, opinions and maxims of all worldly men... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:18

Verse 18 18We know that whosoever is born of God If you suppose that God’s children are wholly pure and free from all sin, as the fanatics contend, then the Apostle is inconsistent with himself; for he would thus take away the duty of mutual prayer among brethren. Then he says that those sin not who do not wholly fall away from the grace of God; and hence he inferred that prayer ought to be made for all the children of God, because they sin not unto death. A proof is added, that every one, born... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:19

Verse 19 19We are of God He deduces an exhortation from his previous doctrine; for what he had declared in common as to the children of God, he now applies to those he was writing to; and this he did, to stimulate them to beware of sin, and to encourage them to repel the onsets of Satan. Let readers observe, that it is only true faith, that applies to us, so to speak, the grace of God; for the Apostle acknowledges none as faithful, but those who have the dignity of being God’s children. Nor... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:13-21

4. CONCLUSION OF EPISTLE ; without, however, any marked break between this section and the last On the contrary, the prominent thought of eternal life through faith in the Son of God is continued for final development. This topic is the main idea alike of the Gospel ( John 20:31 ) and of the Epistle, with this difference—in the Gospel the purpose is that we may have eternal life; in the Epistle, that we may know that we have eternal life. read more