John 5 7

John 5:7 kjv

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:7 nkjv

The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

John 5:7 niv

"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

John 5:7 esv

The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me."

John 5:7 nlt

"I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."

John 5 verses

John 5 7 Meaning

1 John 5:7, as found in some older translations (like the KJV), states: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." This verse, in its extended form, asserts a direct heavenly witness to the Triune nature of God, presenting the Father, the Son (referred to as "the Word"), and the Holy Spirit as distinct yet united in their divine essence and testimony. However, it is crucial to understand that this specific clause (often called the "Comma Johanneum") is widely regarded by textual critics as a later interpolation and not part of the original inspired Greek New Testament manuscripts. Most modern biblical translations omit it or relegate it to a footnote, relying on earlier and more reliable Greek textual traditions. Despite its textual authenticity issues, the theological truth it articulates—the doctrine of the Trinity—is amply taught throughout other undisputed portions of the Bible.

John 5 7 Context

To properly understand the text traditionally associated with 1 John 5:7, it is essential to consider both the authentic surrounding verses and the history of its textual transmission.

The undisputed Greek text of 1 John 5:6 and 1 John 5:8 reads: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 bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth."1 John 5:8 (ESV): "For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree." (Or "agree as one," "are in agreement," "coincide" depending on translation.)

The original context of 1 John 5:6-8 (without the interpolated verse 7) centers on confirming the true identity of Jesus Christ, particularly against heresies like Docetism which denied His true humanity and suggested His divinity merely "appeared" to suffer. John emphasizes that Jesus "came by water and blood"—referring to His baptism (water), signifying the commencement of His public ministry and His identification with humanity, and His crucifixion (blood), demonstrating His actual suffering, death, and atonement. The Spirit's witness authenticates Jesus's claims and His nature as both divine and human (1 Jn 5:6b). The three witnesses—Spirit, water, and blood—are presented as testifying in unison to Jesus's complete messianic identity (1 Jn 5:8).

The "Comma Johanneum" (the extended 1 Jn 5:7 found in KJV) significantly disrupts this logical flow and the specific threefold witness to Christ's identity on Earth. Its historical context dates back to later Latin textual traditions, not early Greek manuscripts. It likely originated as a marginal theological comment within a Latin Vulgate manuscript, reflecting a desire to have an explicit textual proof for the Trinity during doctrinal controversies, particularly with Arianism. From the margin, it eventually found its way into the main text of some later Latin manuscripts, and then was inserted into Erasmus's third edition of the Greek New Testament (1522) primarily due to pressure from the Church, as no Greek manuscripts known to him at that time included it. This makes it an interpolation from a theological intent rather than original inspiration.

John 5 7 Word Analysis

Analyzing the disputed clause "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" from a word-by-word perspective, while acknowledging its textual issues:

• For there are three that bear record (οἱ μαρτυροῦντες - hoi martyrountes): The genuine 1 John 5:6, 8 uses the term martyrountes (bearing witness/record). This emphasis on "witness" or "testimony" is central to John's writing (e.g., John 5:31-40; 8:13-18). The addition of "in heaven" (en tō ouranō) establishes a celestial realm for this testimony.
• in heaven (ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ - en tō ouranō): This phrase localizes the witness to a divine, heavenly sphere. While divine actions originate in heaven, its specific placement here interrupts the flow of earthly witnesses (Spirit, water, blood) in the surrounding, authentic verses.
• the Father (ὁ Πατήρ - ho Patēr): Identifies God as the primary source of authority and origin, a frequent designation in John's writings for the first person of the Godhead.
• the Word (ὁ Λόγος - ho Logos): A foundational term in Johannine theology for Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14; 1 Jn 1:1). It refers to Jesus's pre-incarnate divine existence and His role as the revelation of God. This designation underscores His full deity.
• and the Holy Ghost (καὶ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα - kai to Hagion Pneuma): Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, distinct yet fully divine. The Spirit's role as witness is prominent throughout the New Testament (John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 1:8).
• and these three are one (καὶ οὗτοι οἱ τρεῖς ἕν εἰσιν - kai houtoi hoi treis hen eisin): This phrase states the essential unity of the three persons. The Greek word hen (ἕν) is neuter, suggesting unity in essence or purpose, not a singularity of person. This reflects Jesus's statement in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." It is the theological affirmation of the Trinitarian nature: distinct persons, unified in essence.

Word-Group Analysis:

• "three that bear record in heaven": This specific grouping asserts a divine, heavenly source for the testimony. In the authentic text, the witnesses (Spirit, water, blood) are primarily those who testify on earth to Jesus's messianic identity. The interpolation elevates the "witness" to the Trinity.
• "the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost": This specific triad is an explicit articulation of the three persons of the Christian Godhead, a summary found directly in later doctrinal creeds rather than as a repeated formula in earlier New Testament texts, though the distinctness and divinity of each person are evident across Scripture.
• "and these three are one": This climactic declaration states the perichoresis (inter-indwelling) and co-essential unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit, making them numerically one God while remaining distinct persons. While this truth is central to Christian doctrine and supported throughout Scripture (e.g., Jesus's divinity, the Spirit's deity, the unity of their work), its presence here as a direct statement is the crux of the textual controversy.

John 5 7 Bonus Section

• Manuscript Evidence: The "Comma Johanneum" is absent from nearly all ancient Greek manuscripts, including the oldest and most reliable ones like Sinaiticus (א), Vaticanus (B), and Alexandrinus (A), which date to the 4th and 5th centuries. It also missing from early versions (Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic) and from the writings of early Church Fathers who engaged in extensive Trinitarian debates, notably Athanasius, who never appealed to this verse. It only consistently appears in Latin Vulgate manuscripts from the 9th century onward and was retro-translated into Greek much later.
• Grammatical Coherence: Even grammatically, the interpolated clause is problematic. The preceding word "three" in verse 8 (the actual text) is masculine, agreeing with "Spirit, water, and blood" only by treating them as abstract concepts that "bear witness," but the inserted "Father, Word, and Holy Ghost" creates a grammatical inconsistency if followed by the next words, making the sentence flow unnatural in Greek.
• Implications for Hermeneutics: The case of 1 John 5:7 powerfully demonstrates the importance of textual criticism in biblical studies. It teaches believers the necessity of relying on the most accurate available texts and translations, and it assures them that the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, such as the Trinity, do not depend on textually doubtful verses but are established through the consistent witness of the Bible as a whole. While the specific verse may be an addition, the truth it contains about God is deeply biblical.

John 5 7 Commentary

The passage known as 1 John 5:7 in older translations, the "Comma Johanneum," presents a stark challenge in biblical textual criticism. While it unequivocally states a Trinitarian formula – "the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" – its authenticity as part of John's original letter is highly disputed among scholars. The overwhelming evidence from early and significant Greek manuscripts, patristic quotations, and ancient versions confirms that these words were not present in the New Testament as it was originally written. They first appear in Latin texts and much later in a handful of Greek manuscripts that were translated from the Latin.

The significance of this verse, therefore, lies not in what it contributes to our direct understanding of John's inspired message at this point, but rather in what it tells us about the history of biblical transmission and theological development. The fact that the interpolated words beautifully articulate the doctrine of the Trinity, a cornerstone of Christian faith, highlights a vital truth: even though this verse is textually unsound, the doctrine of one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is abundantly taught and implicitly demonstrated throughout the rest of the inspired Scriptures.

The interpolation likely arose from a theological desire to fortify the Trinitarian doctrine against early heresies, providing a direct proof-text. However, this textual addition inadvertently created a complex situation for later generations. For sound biblical interpretation, it is crucial to understand that doctrines are not to be built on single, questionable verses, but on the cumulative and harmonious testimony of the entire Scripture.