1 John 5:20
ContextNET © | And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know 1 him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one 2 is the true God and eternal life. |
NIV © | We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
NASB © | And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. |
NLT © | And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. |
MSG © | And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God--what a gift!--and we are living in the Truth itself, in God's Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. |
BBE © | And we are certain that the Son of God has come, and has given us a clear vision, so that we may see him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
NRSV © | And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
NKJV © | And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. |
KJV | And <1161> that <3754> the Son <5207> of God <2316> and <2532> us <2254> an understanding <1271>_, that <2443> him that is true <228>_, and <2532> in <1722> him that is true <228>_, [even] in <1722> his <846> Son <5207> Jesus <2424> Christ <5547>_. This <3778> the true <228> God <2316>_, and <2532> eternal <166> life <2222>_. |
NASB © | And we know <3609> that the Son <5207> of God <2316> has <2240> come <2240> , and has given <1325> us understanding <1271> so <2443> that we may know <1097> Him who <228> is true <228> ; and we are in Him who <228> is true <228> , in His Son <5207> Jesus <2424> Christ <5547> . This <3778> is the true <228> God <2316> and eternal <166> life .<2222> |
GREEK | |
NET © [draft] ITL | And <1161> we know <1492> that <3754> the Son <5207> of God <2316> has come <2240> and <2532> has given <1325> us <2254> insight <1271> to <2443> know <1097> him who is true <228> , and <2532> we are <1510> in <1722> him who is true <228> , in <1722> his <846> Son <5207> Jesus <2424> Christ <5547> . This one <3778> is <1510> the true <228> God <2316> and <2532> eternal <166> life .<2222> |
NET © | And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know 1 him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one 2 is the true God and eternal life. |
NET © Notes |
1 tn The ἵνα (Jina) introduces a purpose clause which gives the purpose of the preceding affirmation: “we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight (so that we may) know him who is true.” 2 sn The pronoun This one (οὗτος, Joutos) refers to a person, but it is far from clear whether it should be understood as a reference (1) to God the Father or (2) to Jesus Christ. R. E. Brown (Epistles of John [AB], 625) comments, “I John, which began with an example of stunning grammatical obscurity in the prologue, continues to the end to offer us examples of unclear grammar.” The nearest previous antecedent is Jesus Christ, immediately preceding, but on some occasions when this has been true the pronoun still refers to God (see 1 John 2:3). The first predicate which follows This one in 5:20, the true God, is a description of God the Father used by Jesus in John 17:3, and was used in the preceding clause of the present verse to refer to God the Father (him who is true). Yet the second predicate of This one in 5:20, eternal life, appears to refer to Jesus, because although the Father possesses “life” (John 5:26, 6:57) just as Jesus does (John 1:4, 6:57, 1 John 5:11), “life” is never predicated of the Father elsewhere, while it is predicated of Jesus in John 11:25 and 14:6 (a self-predication by Jesus). If This one in 5:20 is understood as referring to Jesus, it forms an inclusion with the prologue, which introduced the reader to “the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” Thus it appears best to understand the pronoun This one in 5:20 as a reference to Jesus Christ. The christological affirmation which results is striking, but certainly not beyond the capabilities of the author (see John 1:1 and 20:28): This One [Jesus Christ] is the true God and eternal life. |