I John 5:13 · Bible study
1 John 5:13 Commentary: Assurance and Continuing Faith
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How can believers know they have eternal life? A study of 1 John 5:13 on assurance, continuing faith, and the purpose of John's letter.
Research Summary
- Meaning: John writes to believers so they may be certain they possess eternal life and (in the received text) continue trusting Christ.
- Key words: Aorist + present tense interplay: 'I wrote' (completed letter) to those 'believing' (ongoing faith); eidēte (settled knowledge) vs. ginōskō (perception).
- Main debate: Whether the second purpose clause ('and that you may believe') is original; it is missing in key manuscripts (P74, א, B).
- Theological theme: Assurance of eternal life as a present gift through faith in the Son; perseverance as the necessary counterpart.
- Best use: Pastoral confirmation, strengthening doubters, stabilizing the maturing, connecting doctrine to confidence in prayer (following vv. 14, 15).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
These things I did write to you who are believing in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that life ye have age-during, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
These things have I written to you that ye may know that ye have eternal life who believe on the name of the Son of God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
These things I write to you that you may know that you have eternal life: you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Estas cosas he escrito á vosotros que creéis en el nombre del Hijo de Dios, para que sepáis que tenéis vida eterna, y para que creáis en el nombre del Hijo de Dios.
Estas coisas escrevi para vós que credes no nome do Filho de Deus, para que saibais que tendes a vida eterna.
Je vous ai écrit ces choses, afin que vous sachiez que vous avez la vie éternelle, vous qui croyez au nom du Fils de Dieu.
Solches habe ich euch geschrieben, die ihr glaubet an den Namen des Sohnes Gottes, auf daß ihr wisset, daß ihr das ewige Leben habt, und daß ihr glaubet an den Namen des Sohnes Gottes.
Deze dingen heb ik u geschreven, die gelooft in den Naam des Zoons van God; opdat gij weet, dat gij het eeuwige leven hebt, en opdat gij gelooft in den Naam des Zoons van God.
Io v’ho scritto queste cose affinché sappiate che avete la vita eterna, voi che credete nel nome del Figliuol di Dio.
Te rzeczy napisałem wam, którzy wierzycie w imię Syna Bożego, żebyście wiedzieli, iż macie żywot wieczny, i abyście wierzyli w imię Syna Bożego.
Сие написал я вам, верующим во имя Сына Божия, дабы вы знали, что вы, веруя в Сына Божия, имеете жизнь вечную.
我將這些 話寫給 你們 信奉 神 兒子 之名的人，要叫 你們知道 自己有 永 生。
I have put these things in writing for you who have faith in the name of the Son of God, so that you may be certain that you have eternal life.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I John 5:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse states the twofold purpose of John's entire epistle. It is written to believers, those who already trust in Christ, so that they may know they possess eternal life, and (according to the received text) so that they may continue believing. Barnes notes that the knowledge is gained through self-examination and the testimony of Scripture. Calvin emphasizes that even the mature need progress in faith; John writes to confirm believers more and more. Gill and Matthew Henry stress the privilege of settled assurance: eternal life is a present possession, not a distant hope. Clarke adds that John shows what believing on the Son of God produces, actual enjoyment of salvation. The Cambridge Bible observes the parallel with John 20:31: the Gospel is written to produce life, the Epistle to give assurance of that life. All agree the verse is pastoral, not evangelistic.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Two-purpose reading (longer text): Includes both 'that you may know… and that you may believe'; supported by the bulk of the Byzantine text and the KJV/WEB tradition.
- One-purpose reading (shorter text): Omits the second clause, ending with 'that you may know… — unto you that believe'; attested by early Alexandrian witnesses (P74, א, B) and followed by most modern critical editions.
What is clear: John writes to those who already believe in Christ so that they may know with certainty that they possess eternal life.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Text of the second purpose clause | The verse is written to give believers assurance of eternal life. | Is the clause 'and that you may believe' original? The KJV and WEB include it; many modern scholars (following P74, א, B) omit it, seeing it as a scribal addition from the Gospel of John. The ASV, BSB, Darby, and Douay follow the shorter text. |
| Scope of 'these things' | It refers to the content of John's writing, whether the immediate context or the whole letter. | Some commentators (Huther) limit it to verses 6, 12, while most (Lange, Gill, Henry, Cambridge) see it as the entire epistle. |
| Kind of knowledge intended | John wants readers to have a confident certainty, not a vague hope. | Vincent contrasts <em>eidēte</em> (absolute knowledge) with <em>ginōskō</em> (progressive learning). Wesley and Gill emphasize assurance as a deeper, fuller confidence. Catholic tradition may include the role of sacramental life and works in this knowledge. |
| Relation to the Gospel of John | Both Gospel and Epistle serve to lead people to life in Christ. | The Gospel aims to produce life (<em>that you may have life</em>, John 20:31); the Epistle aims to give awareness of life already possessed (<em>that you may know that you have life</em>). Denominations vary on how directly assurance is tied to self-examination versus the external Word. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First John was likely written in the late first century, probably from Ephesus, to Christians scattered across Asia Minor. Early tradition (noted in Poole's annotations) calls it 'the Epistle to the Parthians,' suggesting it circulated among Jewish Christians in the eastern Roman Empire. The letter confronts false teachings that denied Jesus' full humanity and divinity, early forms of Gnosticism and Docetism. These teachers (antichrists, 1 John 2:18) disturbed believers' confidence by claiming secret knowledge (gnosis) and a superior spirituality. Against them, John repeatedly uses verbs of 'knowing' (oida, ginōskō) and 'having' (echō) to ground assurance in the apostolic witness and the believer's present experience of Christ.
Literarily, this verse serves as the formal conclusion of the epistle's body. It echoes the opening purpose statement in 1 John 1:4 ('that your joy may be full'). Where the Gospel of John (20:31) aims to produce faith that grants life, this letter aims to give believers the settled knowledge that they already have that life. The aorist tense of ἔγραψα ('I wrote') looks back on the completed letter as a finished work. The present participle πιστεύουσιν ('believing') characterizes the readers as those whose faith is ongoing, a critical detail in a letter warning against those who 'went out from us' (1 John 2:19). John writes not to convert the lost but to stabilize the found.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a significant textual variant in the second half of the verse. The Received Text (reflected in the KJV and WEB) reads: and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. However, the oldest manuscripts (P74, Codex Sinaiticus [א], Codex Vaticanus [B]) and the Vulgate, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions omit this clause entirely. The Cambridge Bible and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown regard the shorter reading as original, suggesting the clause may have been added by scribes under the influence of John 20:31. The ASV, BSB, Darby, and Douay follow this shorter text. Verse 13 in these versions ends with the words 'unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God' (ASV). The textual decision affects whether the second purpose, continued believing, is an explicit aim of the epistle or simply an implied result.
Reception History
This verse has been a cornerstone of Christian teaching on assurance. In the Reformation, Calvin used it to argue that faith must daily increase through the ministry of the Word, while Luther and other Reformers appealed to it against the idea that assurance was presumptuous. Wesley and Methodist tradition emphasized it as grounds for full assurance of faith, a gift that frees the heart from doubt. The verse also appears in the Catholic tradition as support for the hope of salvation grounded in God's faithfulness, though Catholic theology has often taught that assurance is not absolute without special revelation. In modern evangelical teaching, 1 John 5:13 is frequently quoted to assure new believers that salvation is a present reality. The clause 'that you may know that you have eternal life' is sung in hymns of refuge and frequently cited in pastoral counseling for those struggling with doubt.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The audience: John writes to those who already believe. The present participle πιστεύουσιν describes an ongoing, active trust. This letter is not for outsiders but for the church.
- The first purpose, assurance: 'That you may know that you have eternal life.' The verb εἰδῆτε (oida) implies settled, absolute knowledge, not mere perception. The present tense of ἔχετε ('you have') underscores that eternal life is a current possession, not only a future hope.
- The second purpose, perseverance: 'And that you may go on believing.' Faith is not static; it needs strengthening. Calvin says the godly teacher confirms disciples in faith by extolling Christ's grace. Barnes likens it to tending a vine: trimming matters as much as planting.
Five-point outline
- John's completed work: The aorist 'I wrote' views the epistle as a unified testimony.
- Who gets this letter: Those who believe on the name of the Son of God, 'name' standing for the person and all he reveals.
- The gift possessed: Eternal life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον). The Greek word order, 'life you have eternal,' adds the adjective as an afterthought, as if John says: 'life, yes, eternal life' (Vincent, Westcott).
- The knowledge intended: Not a guess, but a confident, Spirit-witnessed certainty. Wesley says 'a fuller and stronger assurance.'
- The ongoing faith: Whether original or added, the second purpose guards against complacency. Assurance fuels perseverance.
Illustration hooks
- Home inspection report: A buyer has already purchased a house. The inspection report doesn't buy it again; it shows the buyer what they already possess and confirms the foundation is solid.
- Annual physical: A patient is healthy but goes for a checkup. The doctor's report doesn't bestow health; it confirms health and helps the patient stay healthy.
- Keeping a garden: Barnes uses this image. Planting gets the vine started; watering, pruning, and weeding keep it fruitful. John's epistle is the ongoing care.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it possible to know for sure that I am saved, or is that arrogant?
- If I already have eternal life, why do I still need to keep believing?
- What should I do when doubt creeps in about my salvation?
Leading a Discussion
1 John 5:13 is the key to understanding why the whole letter was written. It is not a call to 'get saved' but an invitation to know that you are saved. As you discuss, notice the grammar: John writes to those who are already believing. His goal is not to create faith but to strengthen it. The verse also connects assurance with perseverance, the two belong together. Use the questions below to let the text shape your group's confidence in Christ.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 John 5:13 and then look at 1 John 1:4. How do these two verses frame the whole letter? What does John want his readers to experience?
- The Greek participle πιστεύουσιν is present tense, describing ongoing faith. Why does John address people who already believe? What does this imply about the purpose of Scripture for Christians?
- Compare this verse with John 20:31. What is similar? What is different? Why would John write a Gospel to produce faith and an Epistle to give assurance?
- The word 'know' here is oida, which Vincent says means 'settled, absolute knowledge.' What factors can shake a believer's assurance? What solid foundations does John offer in this letter for restoring it?
- Some manuscripts do not include the second purpose ('and that you may believe'). Whether original or a scribal addition, what does this clause add? Why would the church have added it if originally missing?
- How does eternal life as a present possession, 'you have' (present tense), change the way you think about your relationship with God right now?
- Barnes says that keeping the soul is just as important as converting it. What practices and truths help you 'continue to believe' in daily life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| John 1:12 | But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: |
| John 2:23 | Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. |
| John 3:18 | He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God. |
| John 20:31 | but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. |
| John 21:24 | This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true. |
| Acts 3:16 | By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. |
| Acts 4:12 | There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!” |
| Romans 8:15 | For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke treats eternal life not as a distant promise but as a present reality experienced through Christ dwelling in the heart. He traces a chain: belief produces love, love produces obedience, and together they give the believer the inner witness of salvation and a life of prayer.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that John wrote so believers would see evidence of eternal life in themselves and keep believing. He draws a sharp analogy: tending the soul matters as much as converting it, just as a vine or garden needs constant care to bear fruit, not just planting.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that faith needs daily progress; it is not enough to have believed once. He wrote to believers so that they might believe more firmly, finding eternal life in Christ alone. A faithful teacher,
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools highlights a deliberate contrast: John wrote his Gospel so readers would obtain eternal life, but his epistle so believers would know they already have it. The Gospel aims at producing faith; the epistle clarifies the fruits of faith and gives joy in assured possession of life.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes underscore the twin purpose of John's letter: to give believers certainty that they already possess eternal life, and to strengthen their ongoing trust in the Son of God. The note repeats the phrase "that Son of God" to anchor both knowledge and faith squarely in Christ.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that John writes specifically to believers, not to win converts. His purpose is twofold: to assure them that they already possess eternal life as a free gift in Christ, and to strengthen their ongoing faith in His name through the testimony of the six witnesses and Scripture.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that the oldest manuscripts read differently: John wrote so believers would know they have eternal life, not so they would start believing. The letter is written to those who already believe, to give them settled assurance rather than to convert them.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes John's purpose here from the Gospel's: the Gospel urges readers to believe and gain eternal life, but this Epistle addresses those who already believe, giving them certainty that they already possess it. John wrote the whole letter to ground this present confidence.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that believers have an inner testimony that goes beyond outward evidence. Those who truly trust Christ find in their own souls a deep sense of sin, Christ's perfect suitability, the power of Scripture, and a growing love for God. This inward witness confirms their salvation.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent observes that John writes with a backward glance, using the past tense "I wrote" to reflect on his epistle's purpose. He highlights the unusual word order, where "eternal" is added as an emphatic afterthought, and "you that believe" similarly defines the audience with deliberate weight.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the shift from his earlier "I write" to the concluding "I have written" as deliberate. This change signals that the letter now stands as a completed work, giving believers a more full and settled assurance of their eternal life.