1 John 5:4

Contextual Overview

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him. ¹ Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ, is borne of God: and euery one that loueth him that begate, loueth him also that is begotten of him. ¹ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. ¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him. ¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is God's child, and whoever loves the Father also loves the Father's children. ¹Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. ¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. ¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. ¹ If we believe that Jesus is truly Christ, we are God's children. Everyone who loves the Father will also love his children.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whatsoever: 1 John 5:1, 1 John 3:9

overcometh: 1 John 5:5, 1 John 2:13-17, 1 John 4:4, John 16:33, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Corinthians 15:57, Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:21, Revelation 12:11, Revelation 15:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:22 - General Deuteronomy 30:6 - to love the Lord Psalms 119:17 - I may live John 1:13 - were Romans 8:37 - Nay Galatians 1:4 - from Galatians 6:14 - the world Ephesians 2:2 - walked according Ephesians 6:16 - the shield 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - effectually 2 Timothy 4:10 - having James 1:27 - to keep James 2:14 - though 1 Peter 1:3 - hath 1 John 2:15 - Love not 1 John 5:18 - whosoever Revelation 21:6 - freely Revelation 21:8 - the fearful

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the eretz, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the eretz."

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven, and over every animal that moves upon the earth."

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said, "Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground."

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth."

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Bring forth fruite and multiplie, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the heauen, & ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth.

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that creeps on the earth."

Genesis 1:28
God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For whatsoever is born of God,.... Which may be understood either of persons born; of God; or of the new creature, or principle of grace wrought in them, particularly faith hereafter mentioned, which is an heaven born grace, the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit: this

overcometh the world; the god of the world, Satan; the lusts which are in the world; false prophets gone forth into the world; and the wicked men of the world, who by temptations, snares, evil doctrines, threatenings, promises, and ill examples, would avert regenerate ones from observing the commands of God; but such are more than conquerors over all these, through Christ that has loved them:

and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "your faith"; great things, heroic actions, and wonderful victories, are ascribed to faith; see

Hebrews 11:33; which must not be understood of the grace itself, as separately considered, but of Christ the object of it, as supported, strengthened, assisted, and animated by him: and then it does wonders, when it is enabled to hold Christ, its shield, in its hand, against every enemy that opposes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world - The world, in its maxims, and precepts, and customs, does not rule him, but he is a freeman. The idea is, that there is a conflict between religion and the world, and that in the heart of every true Christian religion secures the victory, or triumphs. In John 16:33, the Saviour says, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” See the notes at that verse. He obtained a complete triumph over him “who rules the darkness of the world,” and laid the foundation for a victory by his people over all vice, error, and sin. John makes this affirmation of all who are born of God. “Whatsoever,” or, as the Greek is, “Everything which is begotten of God,” (πᾶν τὸ γεγενημένον pan to gegenēmenon;) meaning to affirm, undoubtedly, that “in every instance” where one is truly regenerated, there is this victory over the world. See the James 4:4 note; 1 John 2:15-16 note. It is one of the settled maxims of religion, that every man who is a true Christian gains a victory over the world; and consequently a maxim as settled, that where the spirit of the world reigns supremely in the heart, there is no true religion. But, if this be a true principle, how many professed Christians are there who are strangers to all claims of piety - for how many are there who are wholly governed by the spirit of this world!

And this is the victory - This is the source or means of the victory which is thus achieved.

Even our faith - Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 John 5:5. He overcame the world, John 16:33, and it is by that faith which makes us one with him, and that imbues us with his Spirit, that we are able to do it also.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 John 5:4. Whatsoever is born of God — Παν το γεγεννημενον· Whatsoever (the neuter for the masculine) is begotten of God: overcometh the world. "I understand by this," says Schoettgen, "the Jewish Church, or Judaism, which is often termed הזה עולם olam hazzeh, this world. The reasons which induce me to think so are, 1. Because this κοσμος, world, denied that the Messiah was come; but the Gentiles did not oppose this principle. 2. Because he proves the truth of the Christian religion against the Jews, reasoning according to the Jewish manner; whence it is evident that he contends, not against the Gentiles, but against the Jews. The sense therefore is, he who possesses the true Christian faith can easily convict the Jewish religion of falsity." That is, He can show the vanity of their expectations, and the falsity of their glosses and prejudices. Suppose we understand by the world the evil principles and practices which are among men, and in the human heart; then the influence of God in the soul may be properly said to overcome this; and by faith in the Son of God a man is able to overcome all that is in the world, viz., the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life.