1 John 5:18

Contextual Overview

¹⁸We 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. ¹⁸ We know that whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: but hee that is begotten of God, keepeth himselfe, and that wicked one toucheth him not. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁸ We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.¹⁸ We know that those who are God's children do not continue to sin. The Son of God keeps them safe, and the Evil One cannot touch them. ¹⁸We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can't lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it's only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God's Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles. ¹⁸ 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.¹⁸We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.¹⁸ We are sure that God's children do not keep on sinning. God's own Son protects them, and the devil cannot harm them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whosoever: 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:4, 1 John 2:29, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 4:6, John 1:13, John 3:2-5, James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23

keepeth: 1 John 5:21, 1 John 3:3, Psalms 17:4, Psalms 18:23, Psalms 39:1, Psalms 119:101, Proverbs 4:23, John 15:4, John 15:7, John 15:9, Acts 11:23, James 1:27, Jude 1:21, Jude 1:24, Revelation 2:13, Revelation 3:8-10

wicked: 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14, 1 John 3:12

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:37 - sowing seed Leviticus 22:25 - because Ruth 2:9 - touch thee Psalms 37:40 - from Psalms 97:10 - delivereth Psalms 119:3 - General Proverbs 22:5 - he Zephaniah 3:13 - not Matthew 6:13 - deliver Matthew 13:19 - the wicked Matthew 24:24 - insomuch John 3:3 - Except John 10:28 - they John 17:15 - keep 2 Thessalonians 2:8 - that 1 Peter 1:3 - hath 1 John 3:6 - whosoever 1 John 5:19 - in wickedness

Cross-References

Genesis 4:17
Kayin knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Hanokh. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Hanokh.

Genesis 4:17
And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Genesis 4:17
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. And when he built a city he named the city after his son, Enoch.

Genesis 4:17
He had sexual relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city, which he named after his son Enoch.

Genesis 4:17
Cain had marital relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named the city after his son Enoch.

Genesis 4:17
Cain knew his wife [one of Adam's descendants] and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city and named it Enoch, after the name of his son.

Genesis 4:17
Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city, and named the city Enoch, after the name of his son.

Genesis 4:17
Kain also knewe his wife, which conceiued and bare Henoch: and he built a citie, and called the name of the citie by ye name of his sonne, Henoch.

Genesis 4:17
Then Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son.

Genesis 4:17
Later, Cain and his wife had a son named Enoch. At the time Cain was building a town, and so he named it Enoch after his son.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

We know that whosoever is born of God,.... Who is regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and quickened by his power; who has Christ formed in him, and is made a partaker of the divine nature, and has every grace implanted in him:

sinneth not; the sin unto death; nor does he live in sin, or is under the power and dominion of it, though he does not live without it; :-;

but he that is begotten of God; the Vulgate Latin version reads, "the generation of God keeps or preserves him"; that is, that which is born in him, the new man, the principle of grace, or seed of God in him, keeps him from notorious crimes, particularly from sinning the sin unto death, and from the governing power of all other sins; but all other versions, as well as copies, read as we do, and as follows:

keepeth himself; not that any man can keep himself by his own power and strength; otherwise what mean the petitions of the saints to God that he would keep them, and even of Christ himself to God for them on the same account? God only is the keeper of his people, and they are only kept in safety whom he keeps, and it is by his power they are kept; but the sense is, that a believer defends himself by taking to him the whole armour of God, and especially the shield of faith, against the corruptions of his own heart, the snares of the world, and particularly the temptations of Satan:

and that wicked one toucheth him not; he cannot come at him so as to wound him to the heart, or destroy that principle of life that is in him, or so as to overcome and devour him; he may tempt him, and sift him, and buffet him, and greatly afflict and grieve him, but he can not touch his life, or hurt him with the second death; nay, sometimes the believer is so enabled to wield the shield of faith, or to hold up Christ the shield by faith, and turn it every way in such a manner, that Satan, who is here meant by the wicked one, because he is notoriously so, cannot come near him, nor in with him; cannot work upon him at all with his temptations, nor in the least hurt his peace, joy, and comfort: the saints know their perseverance from the promises of God and declarations of Christ; Psalms 125:1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not - Is not habitually and characteristically a sinner; does not ultimately and finally sin and perish; cannot, therefore, commit the unpardonable sin. Though he may fall into sin, and grieve his brethren, yet we are never to cease to pray for a true Christian: we are never to feel that he has committed the sin which has never forgiveness, and that he has thrown himself beyond the reach of our prayers. This passage, in its connection, is a full proof that a true Christian “will” never commit the unpardonable sin, and, therefore, is a proof that he will never fall from grace. Compare the notes at Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 10:26. On the meaning of the assertion here made, that “whosoever is born of God sinneth not,” see the notes at 1 John 3:6-9.

Keepeth himself - It is not said that he does it by his own strength, but he will put forth his best efforts to keep himself from sin, and by divine assistance he will be able to accomplish it. Compare the 1 John 3:3 note; Jude 1:21 note.

And that wicked one toucheth him not - The great enemy of all good is repelled in his assaults, and he is kept from falling into his snares. The word “toucheth” (ἅπτεται haptetai) is used here in the sense of harm or injure.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not — This is spoken of adult Christians; they are cleansed from all unrighteousness, consequently from all sin, 1 John 1:7-9.

Keepeth himself — That is, in the love of God, Jude 1:21, by building up himself on his most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; and that wicked one-the devil, toucheth him not-finds nothing of his own nature in him on which he can work, Christ dwelling in his heart by faith.