1 John 5:16-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:14-17

Here we have, I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, 1 John 5:14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:16-17

5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which is not a sin whose end is death, he will ask life for him and he will give it to him, that is, to those whose sin is not a sin whose end is death. There is a sin whose end is death. It is not about that that I mean he should ask. All wrongdoing is sin; but there is a sin whose end is not death. There is no doubt that this is a most difficult and disturbing passage. Before we approach its problems, let us look at its certainties. John... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:16-17

This passage speaks of the sin whose end is death and the sin whose end is not death. The Revised Standard Version translates "mortal" sin. There have been many suggestions in regard to this. The Jews distinguished two kinds of sins. There were the sins which a man committed unwittingly or, at least, not deliberately. These were sins which a man might commit in ignorance, or when he was swept away by some over-mastering impulse, or in some moment of strong emotion when his passions were... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:16-17

First of all, let us try to fix more closely the meaning of the mortal sin. In the Greek it is the sin pros ( Greek #4314 ) thanaton ( Greek #2288 ). That means the sin which is going towards death, the sin whose end is death, the sin which, if continued in, must finish in death. The terrible thing about it is not so much what it is in itself, as where it will end, if a man persists in it. It is a fact of experience that there are two kinds of sinners. On the one hand, there is the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:16

If anyone see his brother sin ,.... Those who have such an interest at the throne of grace, and such boldness and freedom there, should make use of it for others, as well as themselves, and particularly for fallen believers; for a "brother"; not in a natural or civil sense, but in a spiritual sense, one that is judged to be born again, and belongs to the family and household of God, and is a member of a Gospel church; and so is under the watch, inspection, and care of the saints; and is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:17

All unrighteousness is sin ,.... All unrighteousness against God or man is a sin against the law of God, and the wrath of God is revealed against it, and it is deserving of death; yet all unrighteousness is not unto death, as the sins of David, which were unrighteousness both to God and man, and yet they were put away, and he died not; Peter sinned very foully, and did great injustice to his dear Lord, and yet his sin was not unto death; he had repentance unto life given him, and a fresh... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:16

A sin which is not unto death - This is an extremely difficult passage, and has been variously interpreted. What is the sin not unto death, for which we should ask, and life shall be given to him that commits it? And what is the sin unto death, for which we should not pray? I shall note three of the chief opinions on this subject: - It is supposed that there is here an allusion to a distinction in the Jewish law, where there was למיתה חטאה chattaah lemithah , "a sin unto death;" and ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:17

All unrighteousness is sin - Πασα αδικια , Every act contrary to justice is sin - is a transgression of the law which condemns all injustice. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:16

Verse 16 16If any man The Apostle extends still further the benefits of that faith which he has mentioned, so that our prayers may also avail for our brethren. It is a great thing, that as soon as we are oppressed, God kindly invites us to himself, and is ready to give us help; but that he hears us asking for others, is no small confirmation to our faith in order that we may be fully assured that we shall never meet with a repulse in our own case. The Apostle in the meantime exhorts us to be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:17

Verse 17 17All unrighteousness This passage may be explained variously. If you take it adversatively, the sense would not be unsuitable, “Though all unrighteousness is sin, yet every sin is not unto death.” And equally suitable is another meaning, “As sin is every unrighteousness, hence it follows that every sin is not unto death.” Some take all unrighteousness for complete unrighteousness, as though the Apostle had said, that the sin of which he spoke was the summit of unrighteousness. I,... read more

Group of Brands