1 John 5:21
New International Version
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

New Living Translation
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

English Standard Version
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Berean Standard Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Berean Literal Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

King James Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

New King James Version
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

New American Standard Bible
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

NASB 1995
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

NASB 1977
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Legacy Standard Bible
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Amplified Bible
Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart].

Christian Standard Bible
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

American Standard Version
My little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
My children, keep yourselves from the worship of idols.

Contemporary English Version
Children, you must stay away from idols.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

English Revised Version
My little children, guard yourselves from idols.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Dear children, guard yourselves from false gods.

Good News Translation
My children, keep yourselves safe from false gods!

International Standard Version
Little children, keep yourselves away from idols. Greetings from John

Literal Standard Version
Little children, guard yourselves from idols! Amen.

Majority Standard Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

New American Bible
Children, be on your guard against idols.

NET Bible
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

New Revised Standard Version
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

New Heart English Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Webster's Bible Translation
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Weymouth New Testament
Dear children, guard yourselves from idols.

World English Bible
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Young's Literal Translation
Little children, guard yourselves from the idols! Amen.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Concluding Remarks
20And 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. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Cross References
1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry."

1 Corinthians 10:14
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Thessalonians 1:9
For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

1 John 2:1
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.


Treasury of Scripture

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Little.

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:

keep.

Exodus 20:3,4
Thou shalt have no other gods before me…

1 Corinthians 10:7,14
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play…

2 Corinthians 6:16,17
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people…

Amen.

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

Jump to Previous
Amen Children Dear False. Gods Guard Idols Little Yourselves
Jump to Next
Amen Children Dear False. Gods Guard Idols Little Yourselves
1 John 5
1. He who loves God loves his children, and keeps his commandments;
3. which to the faithful are not grievous.
9. Jesus is the Son of God;
14. and able to hear our prayers.














Verse 21. - Keep yourselves from idols; or, guard yourselves from the idols. In verse 18 we had τηρεῖ; here the verb is φυλάξατε. The aorist, rather than the present imperative, is used to make the command more forcible, although the guarding is not momentary, but will have to continue (Compare μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, John 15:4; τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσατε John 14:15). What is the meaning of "the idols" τῶν εἰδώλων here? In answering this question it will be well to hold fast to the common canon of exegesis, that where the literal interpretation makes good sense, the literal interpretation is probably right. Here the literal interpretation makes excellent sense. Ephesus was famous for its idols. To be "temple-keeper of the great Artemis" (Acts 19:35) was its pride. The moral evils which had resulted from the abuse of the right of sanctuary had caused the Roman senate to cite the Ephesians and other states to submit their charters to the government for inspection. Ephesus had been the first to answer to the summons, and had strenuously defended its claims. It was famous, moreover, for its charms and incantations; and folly of this kind had found its way into the Christian Church (Acts 19:13-20). As so often happens with converts from a religion full of gross superstition, a good many of the superstitious observances survived the adoption of Christianity. With facts such as these before us, we can hardly be wrong in interpreting "the idols" quite literally. The apostle's "little children" could not live in Ephesus without coming constantly in contact with these polluting but attractive influences. They must have absolutely nothing to do with them: "Guard yourselves and abjure ἀπό them." Of course, this literal interpretation places no limit on the application of the text. To a Christian anything is an idol which usurps the place of God in the heart, whether this be a person, or a system, or a project, or wealth, or what not. All such usurpations come within the sweep of the apostle's injunction, "Guard yourselves from your idols."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Little children,
Τεκνία (Teknia)
Noun - Vocative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5040: A little child. Diminutive of teknon; an infant, i.e. darlings.

keep
φυλάξατε (phylaxate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5442: Probably from phule through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. Be on guard; by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid.

yourselves
ἑαυτὰ (heauta)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

idols.
εἰδώλων (eidōlōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 1497: An idol, false god. From eidos; an image; by implication, a heathen god, or the worship of such.


Links
1 John 5:21 NIV
1 John 5:21 NLT
1 John 5:21 ESV
1 John 5:21 NASB
1 John 5:21 KJV

1 John 5:21 BibleApps.com
1 John 5:21 Biblia Paralela
1 John 5:21 Chinese Bible
1 John 5:21 French Bible
1 John 5:21 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 1 John 5:21 Little children keep yourselves from idols (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 5:20
Top of Page
Top of Page