1 John 5 6

1 John 5:6 kjv

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1 John 5:6 nkjv

This is He who came by water and blood?Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1 John 5:6 niv

This is the one who came by water and blood?Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

1 John 5:6 esv

This is he who came by water and blood ? Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

1 John 5:6 nlt

And Jesus Christ was revealed as God's Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross ? not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.

1 John 5 verses

1 John 5 6 Meaning

This verse declares the full and authentic identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, emphasizing His true humanity and divinity through two pivotal aspects of His earthly ministry: His baptism ("water") and His atoning death ("blood"). It explicitly counters false teachings that deny the reality of His physical presence or the efficacy of His sacrifice. The verse concludes by stating that the Holy Spirit infallibly confirms this truth, underscoring the divine certainty of Jesus' nature and work.

1 John 5 6 Context

First John chapter 5 stands within the broader purpose of the epistle, which is to reassure believers in their salvation, call them to walk in fellowship with God and one another, and equip them to discern truth from error, especially concerning the person of Jesus Christ. The immediate context of chapter 5 speaks of the victory of faith (1 Jn 5:4-5), where believing that "Jesus is the Son of God" is presented as the essential faith that overcomes the world. Verse 6 directly builds upon this by defining how Jesus demonstrated Himself as the Son of God—specifically in opposition to the emerging proto-Gnostic heresies of the day, particularly Docetism. These false teachers often denied the true humanity of Jesus, positing that He only appeared to have a physical body and did not truly suffer or die, or that the divine "Christ-spirit" descended upon the man Jesus at His baptism but departed before His crucifixion. John directly refutes such views by asserting the concrete reality of Jesus' coming "by water and blood."

1 John 5 6 Word analysis

• This: Refers back to the assertion in 1 Jn 5:5 that Jesus is "the Son of God." The identity being attested.
• is He who came: Greek: houtos estin ho elthōn (οὗτος ἐστὶν ὁ ἐλθών). "Came" (elthōn, a participle from erchomai) denotes a real, definite advent or arrival, emphasizing Jesus' historical incarnation and manifestation, not an apparition. It affirms His earthly presence.
• by water: Greek: di' hydatos (δι' ὕδατος). This predominantly refers to Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan. This event marked the beginning of His public ministry, His anointing by the Spirit (Mk 1:9-11), and His identification with humanity. It signifies His anointing as the Messiah and the Son of God. For John's audience, it countered the idea that the "Christ" was separate from the "Jesus" who was baptized, by affirming that the same individual (Jesus Christ) came through this pivotal event.
• and blood: Greek: kai haimatos (καὶ αἵματος). This refers to Jesus' atoning death on the cross, specifically the shedding of His blood. It represents His true humanity (He truly died), His sacrifice, and the forgiveness of sins He achieved. For the immediate context, it counters the Docetic claim that Jesus merely seemed to suffer or that the Christ-spirit abandoned Jesus before His crucifixion, thus minimizing the reality and efficacy of His death. The emphasis on "blood" stresses the historical and salvific reality of the cross.
• Jesus Christ; Greek: Iēsous Christos (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός). This explicitly names the subject, reinforcing His specific historical person, embodying both humanity (Jesus) and divine Messiahship (Christ). It underlines the indivisible union of both natures in the one person.
• not by water only, Greek: ouk en tō hydati monon (οὐκ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι μόνον). This is a direct polemic. It specifically targets the heretical view (like that of Cerinthus, a contemporary of John) which claimed that the divine Christ-spirit entered the human Jesus at His baptism ("water") but departed from Him before His passion/death, meaning the Christ-spirit did not truly suffer. John here vehemently denies any separation, insisting that Jesus remained the Christ throughout His suffering and death.
• but by water and blood. Greek: all' en tō hydati kai en tō haimati (ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι). This repetition with strong affirmation re-emphasizes that Jesus Christ, the one and same person, fully engaged in both His public inauguration (baptism) and His atoning sacrifice (crucifixion). Both events are essential and define His singular, complete saving work. It underscores His real, flesh-and-blood existence throughout His ministry, encompassing both significant moments.
• And it is the Spirit: Greek: Kai to Pneuma (Καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα). Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Spirit's role here is to authenticate, endorse, and bear witness to the truth concerning Jesus' identity and work.
• who bears witness, Greek: to martyroun (τὸ μαρτυροῦν). The participle form, indicating a continuous, active role of witnessing. "Bears witness" implies reliable, authoritative testimony, often with a legal or judicial weight. The Spirit’s witness is undeniable and true.
• because the Spirit is truth. Greek: hoti to Pneuma estin hē alētheia (ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμα ἔστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια). This declares an absolute truth about the nature of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13), the Holy Spirit is inherently incapable of falsehood. His witness is inherently truthful and reliable because truth is His very essence and nature, making His testimony to Jesus Christ irrefutable and foundational.

• "This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ;" This foundational statement clearly identifies the unique individual, Jesus Christ, as the one who definitively arrived into the world. The modes of His arrival are specified as "water and blood," referring to His baptism (initiation of public ministry) and His crucifixion (consummation of saving work). This immediate declaration serves as a definitive counter to any doctrine that seeks to fragment Christ's person or work. The historical reality of Jesus' physical journey, from baptism to death, is stressed.
• "not by water only, but by water and blood." This strong, emphatic denial and subsequent reaffirmation serve as a precise theological polemic against the burgeoning Gnostic/Docetic heresy. The phrase directly refutes the claim that the divine Christ only temporarily inhabited the human Jesus and departed before the crucifixion. John asserts that the very same Christ who was publicly manifested at baptism also truly suffered and died on the cross. Both His divine anointing (water) and His atoning sacrifice (blood) were performed by the unified person of Jesus Christ. This highlights the absolute necessity of believing in the complete, unified person of Christ who genuinely came, lived, died, and rose.
• "And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." This part introduces the ultimate divine validation for the claims about Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is presented as the primary and unwavering witness to Jesus' identity and work. This testimony is utterly trustworthy because truth is an intrinsic attribute of the Spirit. This not only corroborates the dual aspects of water and blood but also grounds all spiritual understanding in the divine testimony. The Spirit’s internal witness in believers confirms this reality, contrasting sharply with deceptive human teachings.

1 John 5 6 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of "water" and "blood" can also be seen as reflecting purification (water) and atonement (blood), two foundational concepts in covenant theology. In the Old Covenant, ceremonial washings (water) were for purification, while sacrifices (blood) were for forgiveness. Jesus fulfills both, bringing ultimate cleansing and complete redemption through His single, continuous, and unified work. Furthermore, some early Christian interpretations and traditions connect "water and blood" to the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, seeing them as continuous expressions of the very truth testified to by the Spirit in this verse, embodying the reality of Christ's work in the life of the church. The verse implicitly asserts that one cannot embrace part of Christ's identity (His divine power or early ministry) while rejecting another essential part (His suffering and death). A true understanding of Christ necessitates embracing the totality of His Person and His salvific work.

1 John 5 6 Commentary

1 John 5:6 is a crucial theological anchor, primarily safeguarding the doctrine of Christ's genuine incarnation and the efficacy of His atoning death. John addresses a specific false teaching prevalent in his day that fragmented the person of Jesus: denying His full humanity, separating the divine "Christ" from the human "Jesus," or asserting that He merely seemed to suffer on the cross. By affirming that Jesus Christ "came by water and blood," John emphatically states that the same divine Son of God who was inaugurated into public ministry through baptism ("water") also genuinely died and shed His blood for the atonement of sins ("blood"). The repeated phrase "not by water only, but by water and blood" serves as a direct rebuttal to any idea that Christ's divine nature detached from His human nature before His crucifixion, thereby rendering His death inconsequential.

The Spirit's witness solidifies this truth; because the Holy Spirit is, by His very nature, truth, His testimony concerning Jesus' full person and completed work is beyond dispute. This verse reinforces that true faith (as discussed in 1 Jn 5:4-5) must encompass a belief in the historical Jesus as fully God and fully man, whose saving work spanned from His divine anointing at baptism to His atoning sacrifice on the cross. It calls believers to root their faith in the comprehensive reality of Jesus Christ as revealed by God and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. This truth about Jesus is foundational for victory over the world and for experiencing genuine fellowship with God.