Whoever believes that ‘ISA1 is AL-MASIH2 is born of God3. Whoever loves the father also loves the child who is born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that ‘ISA is the SON OF GOD4?
6This is he who came by water and blood, ‘ISA AL-MASIH; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit5 who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three who testify: 8the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son. 10He who believes in the SON OF GOD has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has the life. He who does not have the SON OF GOD does not have the life.
13These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the SON OF GOD, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the Name of the SON OF GOD.
14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I do not say that he should make a request concerning this. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
18We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him.
19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20We 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 ‘ISA AL-MASIH. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
- 5:1 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 5:1 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 5:1 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 5:5 SON OF GOD, a title of the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed through Prophet Dawud in the Zabur 2:7-9, which says: I will tell of the decree. YAHWEH said to me, “You are my SON. Today I have become your FATHER. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, The ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” ↩︎
- 5:6 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎