1 John 5:18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.

◄ 1 John 5:18 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.

English Standard Version
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

New American Standard Bible
We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

King James Bible
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

International Standard Version
We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one cannot harm them.

American Standard Version
We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.

Douay-Rheims Bible
We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not: but the generation of God preserveth him, and the wicked one toucheth him not.

Darby Bible Translation
We know that every one begotten of God does not sin, but he that has been begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Young's Literal Translation
We have known that every one who hath been begotten of God doth not sin, but he who was begotten of God doth keep himself, and the evil one doth not touch him;

Cross References

Psalm 119:3
They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Matthew 5:37
But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil.

Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For your is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

John 14:30
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1 John 2:13
I write to you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

1 John 3:9
Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 5:1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten of him.

1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:15
And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

5:18-21 All mankind are divided into two parties or dominions; that which belongs to God, and that which belongs to the wicked one. True believers belong to God: they are of God, and from him, and to him, and for him; while the rest, by far the greater number, are in the power of the wicked one; they do his works, and support his cause. This general declaration includes all unbelievers, whatever their profession, station, or situation, or by whatever name they may be called. The Son leads believers to the Father, and they are in the love and favour of both; in union with both, by the indwelling and working of the Holy Spirit. Happy are those to whom it is given to know that the Son of God is come, and to have a heart to trust in and rely on him that is true! May this be our privilege; we shall thus be kept from all idols and false doctrines, and from the idolatrous love of worldly objects, and be kept by the power of God, through faith, unto eternal salvation. To this living and true God, be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. (1Jo 3:9.)

We know—Thrice repeated emphatically, to enforce the three truths which the words preface, as matters of the brethren's joint experimental knowledge. This 1Jo 5:18 warns against abusing 1Jo 5:16, 17, as warranting carnal security.

whosoever—Greek, "every one who." Not only advanced believers, but every one who is born again, "sinneth not."

he that is begotten—Greek aorist, "has been (once for all in past time) begotten of God"; in the beginning of the verse it is perfect. "Is begotten," or "born," as a continuing state.

keepeth himself—The Vulgate translates, "The having been begotten of God keepeth HIM" (so one of the oldest manuscripts reads): so Alford. Literally, "He having been begotten of God (nominative pendent), it (the divine generation implied in the nominative) keepeth him." So 1Jo 3:9, "His seed remaineth in him." Still, in English Version reading, God's working by His Spirit inwardly, and man's working under the power of that Spirit as a responsible agent, is what often occurs elsewhere. That God must keep us, if we are to keep ourselves from evil, is certain. Compare Joh 17:15 especially with this verse.

that wicked one toucheth him not—so as to hurt him. In so far as he realizes his regeneration-life, the prince of this world hath nothing in him to fasten his deadly temptations on, as in Christ's own case. His divine regeneration has severed once for all his connection with the prince of this world.