1 John 5:16 kjva — If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that si…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it."

— 1 John 5:16, King James Version with Apocrypha

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1 John 5:16 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”

  • ASV

    “If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request. ”

  • WEB

    “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don't say that he should make a request concerning this.”

  • NET

    “If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that.”

  • DRB

    “He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask: and life shall be given to him who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death. For that I say not that any man ask.”

  • BBE

    “If a man sees his brother doing a sin which is not bad enough for death, let him make a prayer to God, and God will give life to him whose sin was not bad enough for death. There is a sin whose punishment is death: I do not say that he may make such a request then.”

1 John 5 — Context

13

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

14

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

15

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

16

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

17

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

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.

19

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

1 John 5:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 John 5:16 say?
1 John 5:16 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”
Where is 1 John 5:16 in the Bible?
1 John 5:16 is found in the New Testament, in the book of 1 John, chapter 5, verse 16.
Who wrote 1 John?
1 John is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle. It was written c. AD 85–95.
What is the book of 1 John about?
John writes to help believers know they have eternal life. Three tests run through the letter: do you walk in the light, love one another, and confess that Jesus is the Christ come in the flesh? Where these are present, assurance follows.
What are the major themes of 1 John?
1 John explores themes including Assurance, Love, Light, Truth vs. Error, Eternal Life. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 John 5:16.
What translation should I read 1 John 5:16 in?
1 John 5:16 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 John 5:16?
1 John 5:16 reads (KJVA): “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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