1 John 5 · Verse 13

1 John 5:13

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:13, King James Version

1 John 5:13 in other translations

BSBI have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
WEBThese 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.
ASVThese things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.
YLTThese things I did write to you who are believing in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that life ye have age-during, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.
DARBYThese things have I written to you that ye may know that ye have eternal life who believe on the name of the Son of God.
BBEI have put these things in writing for you who have faith in the name of the Son of God, so that you may be certain that you have eternal life.
WebsterThese things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What does 1 John 5:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "These things have I written unto you [omitting 'that believe on the name of the Son of God'] that ye may know that ye have eternal life (compare 1Jo 5:11), THOSE (of you I mean) WHO believe (not as English Version reads, 'and that ye may believe') on the name of the Son of God." English Version, in the latter clause, will mean, "that ye may continue to believe," &c. (compare 1Jo 5:12). These things--This Epistle. He, towards the close of his Gospel (Joh 20:30, 31), wrote similarly, stating his purpose in having written. In 1Jo 1:4 he states the object of his writing this Epistle to be, "that your joy may be full." To "know that we have eternal life" is the sure way to "joy in God."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. These things have I written unto you. The things in this epistle respecting the testimony borne to the Lord Jesus.

That believe on the name of the Son of God. To believe on his name, is to believe on himself--the word name often being used to denote the person. Mt 28:19.

That ye may know that ye have eternal life. That you may see the evidence that eternal life has been provided, and that you may be able, by self-examination, to determine whether you possess it. Jn 20:31.

And that ye may believe, etc. That you may continue to believe, or may persevere in believing. He was assured that they actually did believe on him then; but he was desirous of so setting before them the nature of religion, that they would continue to exercise faith in him. It is often one of the most important duties of ministers of the gospel, to present to real Christians such views of the nature, the claims, the evidences, and the hopes of religion, as shall be adapted to secure their perseverance in the faith. In the human heart, even when converted, there is such a proneness to unbelief; the religious affections so easily become cold; there are so many cares pertaining to the world that are fitted to distract the mind; there are so many allurements of sin to draw the affections away from the Saviour; that there is need of being constantly reminded of the nature of religion, in order that the heart may not be wholly estranged from the Saviour. No small part of preaching, therefore, must consist of the re-statement of arguments with which the mind has been before fully convinced; of motives whose force has been once felt and acknowledged; and of the grounds of hope and peace and joy which have already, on former occasions, diffused comfort through the soul. It is not less important to keep the soul, than it is to convert it; to save it from coldness, and deadness, and formality, than it was to impart to it the elements of spiritual life at first. It may be as important to trim a vine, if one would have grapes, as it is to set it out; to keep a garden from being overrun with weeds in the summer, as it was to plant it in the spring.

(d) "ye may know" Jn 20:31

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 That ye may know that ye have eternal life - I write to show your privileges - to lead you into this holy of holies - to show what believing on the Son of God is, by the glorious effects it produces: it is not a blind reliance for, but an actual enjoyment of, salvation; Christ living, working, and reigning in the heart. And that ye may believe - That is, continue to believe: for Christ dwells in the heart only by Faith, and faith lives only by Love, and love continues only by Obedience; he who Believes loves, and he who Loves obeys. He who obeys loves; he who loves believes; he who believes has the witness in himself: he who has this witness has Christ in his heart, the hope of glory; and he who believes, loves, and obeys, has Christ in his heart, and is a man of prayer.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 5:13-17
Upon all this evidence, it is but right that we believe on the name of the Son of God. Believers have eternal life in the covenant of the gospel. Then let us thankfully receive the record of Scripture. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. The Lord Christ invites us to come to him in all circumstances, with our supplications and requests, notwithstanding the sin that besets us. Our prayers must always be offered in submission to the will of God. In some things they are speedily answered; in others they are granted in the best manner, though not as requested. We ought to pray for others, as well as for ourselves. There are sins that war against spiritual life in the soul, and the life above. We cannot pray that the sins of the impenitent and unbelieving should, while they are such, be forgiven them; or that mercy, which supposes the forgiveness of sins, should be granted to them, while they wilfully continue such. But we may pray for their repentance, for their being enriched with faith in Christ, and thereupon for all other saving mercies. We should pray for others, as well as for ourselves, beseeching the Lord to pardon and recover the fallen, as well as to relieve the tempted and afflicted. And let us be truly thankful that no sin, of which any one truly repents, is unto death.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 John 5:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤαῦταTautaThese thingsG3778
ἔγραψαegrapsahave I writtenG1125
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588
πιστεύουσινpisteuousinbelievingG4100
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸtotheG3588
ὄνομαonomanameG3686
τοῦtouof theG3588
υἱοῦhuiouSonG5207
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ,theouof GodG2316
ἵναinaso thatG2443
εἰδῆτεeidēteyou may know
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ζωὴνzōēnlifeG2222
ἔχετεecheteyou haveG2192
αἰώνιον,aiōnioneternalG166
καὶkaiandG2532
ἵναinaso thatG2443
πιστεύουσινpisteuousinbelievingG4100
εἰςeisinG1519
τὸtotheG3588
ὄνομαonomanameG3686
τοῦtouof theG3588
υἱοῦhuiouSonG5207
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 John 5:13

  • John 20:31

    But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

  • John 1:12

    But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

  • 1 John 3:23

    And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

  • 2 Peter 1:10-11

    Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

  • John 3:18

    He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

  • 1 John 2:21

    I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

  • 1 Timothy 1:15-16

    This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

  • Galatians 4:6

    And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • Romans 8:15-17

    For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • 1 John 5:10

    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.

  • 1 John 1:4

    And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have I.
1:4; 2:1,13,14,21,26; Joh 20:31; 21:24; 1Pe 5:12
believe.
3:23; Joh 1:12; 2:23; 3:18; Ac 3:16; 4:12; 1Ti 1:15,16
ye may know.
10; 1:1,2; Ro 8:15-17; 2Co 5:1; Ga 4:6; 2Pe 1:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 John 5:12

    He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

  • 1 John 5:13

    These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

  • 1 John 5:14

    And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Read all of 1 John 5

1 John 5:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Estas cosas he escrito á vosotros que creéis en el nombre del Hijo de Dios, para que sepáis que tenéis vida eterna, y para que creáis en el nombre del Hijo de Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je vous ai écrit ces choses afin que vous sachiez que vous avez la vie éternelle, vous qui croyez au nom du Fils de Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dies habe ich euch geschrieben, auf daß ihr wisset, daß ihr ewiges Leben habt, die ihr glaubet an den Namen des Sohnes Gottes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc scribo vobis ut sciatis quoniam vitam habetis æternam, qui creditis in nomine Filii Dei.