1 John 5:16 net — If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to…

NET Bible

"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."

— 1 John 5:16, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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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.”

  • 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.”

  • 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.”

1 John 5 — Context

13

Assurance of Eternal Life I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

14

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

15

And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

16

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.

17

All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

18

We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him.

19

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

1 John 5:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 John 5:16 say?
1 John 5:16 in the NET Bible reads: “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.”
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 (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.” 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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