I John 5:6 · Bible study
1 John 5:6 Commentary: Jesus Came by Water and Blood
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'water and blood' mean? How does the Spirit testify? Commentary on 1 John 5:6 with Greek insights and historical context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus's baptism (water) and crucifixion (blood) are the historical and atoning events that prove he is the Messiah.
- Key words: di’ hudatos kai haimatos ('through water and blood'), preposition dia indicates instrumentality; water = cleansing/deity announced, blood = atonement/death.
- Main debate: Do 'water and blood' refer only to Jesus's baptism and death, or also to the flow from his side (John 19:34) and/or the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist?
- Theological theme: The full humanity and deity of Jesus are shown through genuine birth, life, and death; salvation requires both his pure life and his atoning sacrifice.
- Best use: To ground faith in the real, historical Jesus and to encourage believers to trust in the completed work of Christ, not just his example but his blood for forgiveness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
This one is he who did come through water and blood--Jesus the Christ, not in the water only, but in the water and the blood; and the Spirit it is that is testifying, because the Spirit is the truth,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus [the] Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, for the Spirit is the truth.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth that Christ is the truth.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Este es Jesucristo|strong="G2424, G5547", que vino por agua y sangre: no por agua solamente, sino por agua y sangre. Y el Espíritu es el que da testimonio: porque el Espíritu es la verdad.
Este é aquele que veio por água e sangue: Jesus, o Cristo. Não só pela água, mas pela água e pelo sangue. E o Espírito é o que lhe dá testemunho, porque o Espírito é a verdade.
C’ est lui, Jésus-Christ, qui est venu avec de l’ eau et du sang; non avec l’ eau seulement, mais avec l’ eau et avec le sang; et c’ est l’ Esprit qui rend témoignage, parce que l’ Esprit est la vérité.
Dieser ist' s, der da kommt mit Wasser und Blut, Jesus Christus; nicht mit Wasser allein, sondern mit Wasser und Blut. Und der Geist ist' s, der da zeugt; denn der Geist ist die Wahrheit.
Deze is het, Die gekomen is door water en bloed, namelijk Jezus, de Christus; niet door het water alleen, maar door het water en het bloed. En de Geest is het, Die getuigt, dat de Geest de waarheid is.
Questi è colui che è venuto con acqua e con sangue, cioè, Gesù Cristo; non con l’acqua soltanto, ma con l’acqua e col sangue. Ed è lo Spirito che ne rende testimonianza, perché lo Spirito è la verità.
Tenci jest, który przyszedł przez wodę i krew, Jezus Chrystus, nie w wodzie tylko, ale w wodzie i we krwi; a Duch jest, który świadczy, iż Duch jest prawda.
Сей есть Иисус Христос, пришедший водою и кровию и Духом, не водою только, но водою и кровию, и Дух свидетельствует о Нем, потому что Дух есть истина.
這 藉著 水 和 血 而來的，就是 耶穌 基督；不是 單 用 水，乃是 用 水 又 用 血，
This is he who came by water and by blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only but by water and by blood.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I John 5:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that John points to two concrete events in Jesus's life: his baptism in the Jordan and his death on the cross. The Greek verb elthōn (aorist participle, 'having come') refers to the historic incarnation, and the preposition dia ('through'; G1223) indicates the means by which Jesus carried out his saving work. Vincent's Word Studies notes that water and blood are 'the media through which Jesus the Mediator wrought', not mere accompaniments but instruments. At his baptism, the Father's voice and the Spirit's descent declared him the Son of God (Matthew 3:16-17). At the cross, he poured out his blood as the atoning sacrifice. John's repeated phrase 'not with the water only, but with the water and the blood' counters any teaching that would separate a spiritual Christ from the crucified Jesus. As Barnes puts it, John 'fixes the attention on a fact so impressive and remarkable... that he came by water and blood.' Calvin traces the language back to the Old Testament, where water symbolized purification and blood atonement, a pattern fulfilled in the Messiah.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Historical-events view (baptism and crucifixion): Supported by Barnes, Vincent, Wesley; grounds the language in the Gospel accounts of Jesus's life and death.
- Side-wound view (water and blood from John 19:34): Augustine, Cambridge (mentioned), many moderns; sees the flow from Jesus's side as the direct referent.
- Sacramental view (baptism and Eucharist): Some Catholic and Anglican interpreters; sees water and blood as pointing to the church's ongoing rites.
- Typological-ceremonial view (OT purification and atonement): Calvin, Poole; sees water and blood as the fulfillment of the law's rituals (Ezekiel 36:25; Leviticus 17:11).
What is clear: The verse unambiguously links Jesus's identity as the Christ with both his pure life (symbolized by water) and his atoning death (symbolized by blood), and it affirms the Spirit as a truthful witness to these events.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'water' | All traditions see water as referencing Jesus's baptism in the Jordan, where he was publicly declared the Son of God. | Some (e.g., Calvin, Cambridge) also connect water to Old Testament purification rituals or to the water from Christ's side; others restrict it strictly to the baptism event. |
| Meaning of 'blood' | All agree blood refers to Jesus's crucifixion and atoning death, fulfilling Old Testament sacrifices. | Catholic and some Anglican interpreters sometimes see a reference to the Eucharist (the cup of the covenant); Protestant interpreters generally emphasize the once-for-all sacrificial death. |
| Role of the Spirit's testimony | All affirm that the Holy Spirit testifies to Jesus's identity, both at his baptism and throughout church history. | Some understand the Spirit's testimony as primarily through Scripture and the apostles' teaching; others include ongoing inner witness in believers; Pentecostals emphasize charismatic confirmations. |
| Connection to John 19:34 | The water and blood from Jesus's side are acknowledged as a parallel image. | Some (like Augustine and many moderns) make this the primary reference; others (like Barnes, Calvin) treat it as a secondary echo at most, insisting the main referent is baptism and crucifixion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Jewish readers would immediately connect 'water' and 'blood' with the temple system. Purification rituals used water (Ezekiel 36:25: 'I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean'), and the Day of Atonement required bloodshed for forgiveness (Leviticus 17:11: 'the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life'). John writes in a context where false teachers (whom later tradition calls 'Docetists') claimed Jesus only seemed to be human or that the divine Christ left him before the cross. Against this, the apostle insists that the Messiah genuinely came both by water (a real baptism inaugurating his public ministry) and by blood (a real death). The water-and-blood combination also echoes the Jewish ceremony for cleansing lepers (Leviticus 14:52) and the water and blood that flowed from Jesus's side (John 19:34), a detail John himself witnessed. Early Christians celebrated baptism and the Lord's Supper as memorials of these events, so the community would have heard sacrificial overtones in John's language, water for cleansing, blood for atonement, all fulfilled in Jesus.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants for the text of verse 6 itself. However, the Cambridge Bible observes that early manuscripts read 'in the water... in the blood' (Greek en tō hudati... en tō haimati) rather than 'by water and blood.' The preposition shifts from dia ('through') in the first clause to en ('in') in the second, a nuance that underscores the element in which Jesus appeared. A few later manuscripts add 'and the Spirit' to the opening clause, but this is not attested in the oldest witnesses and is likely a scribal harmonization with the following sentence.
Reception History
Early church fathers like Irenaeus and Tertullian read the verse as affirming Christ's real humanity against docetism, pointing to baptism and the cross. Augustine made the connection to the water and blood from Jesus's side, a reading that remained influential in medieval exegesis. During the Reformation, Calvin interpreted water and blood as the reality behind the Old Testament ceremonies of purification and atonement, arguing that the Messiah fulfilled both. Wesley and the Methodist tradition stressed the historical facts of Jesus's baptism and crucifixion as the foundation for saving faith. In modern scholarship, the verse is seen as central to John's anti-docetic polemic: the Son of God truly came and truly died.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The water: Jesus began his public work at baptism, where he was declared the Son of God and equipped by the Spirit. His life of perfect obedience gave him authority to cleanse others.
- The blood: Jesus completed his saving work through sacrificial death. His blood, not animal sacrifices, makes atonement once for all.
- The Spirit's testimony: The same Spirit that descended at Jesus's baptism now bears witness in Scripture, in the church, and in believers' hearts that Jesus is the Christ.
Five-point outline
- John identifies Jesus as the one who 'came', the incarnate Son of God entered history.
- 'By water' points to Jesus's baptism: his public commissioning and identification with sinners.
- 'By blood' points to his crucifixion: the atoning sacrifice that secures salvation.
- The Spirit testifies to these events, both in the past (at Jesus's baptism) and in the present (through Scripture and believers).
- John insists the two belong together: a Messiah who only taught or lived a pure life (water only) but did not die for sin is no savior at all.
Illustration hooks
- A person's identity is often established by two key documents: a birth certificate and a death certificate. Jesus's 'documents' are his baptism (announcing who he is) and his crucifixion (showing what he came to do).
- Water cleans the outside; only blood can atone for a guilty heart. A child who falls in mud needs water; a patient with internal bleeding needs blood. We need both.
- When we remember our own baptism and take Communion, we witness the same two 'signs', water and wine (blood), testifying to what Christ accomplished.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does John stress 'not by water only'? What was the false teaching he was correcting?
- How does the Spirit testify to Jesus today if we were not present at the Jordan or Calvary?
- Does this verse mean that water baptism itself saves us, or that it points to something deeper?
Leading a Discussion
John wants his readers to be certain that the Jesus who was baptized in water and died in blood is the Son of God. This certainty comes through multiple witnesses: the water, the blood, and the Spirit. As you discuss this passage, help one another see how each element confirms Christ's identity, and what that means for your faith.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 John 5:6-8. What do you think 'water' and 'blood' refer to in these verses? Which Old Testament passages come to mind that use water and blood for purification and atonement?
- John says Jesus 'came by water and blood.' The Greek preposition dia means 'through', like a means or instrument. What does that tell us about the role of Jesus's baptism and death? Were they optional or essential to his mission?
- Why might John add 'not with the water only, but with the water and the blood'? What false view of Jesus was he confronting? How does this help us understand the seriousness of Christ's death?
- The Spirit is said to testify 'because the Spirit is the truth.' In what ways does the Spirit bear witness to Jesus today, through Scripture, through the church, or personally?
- How does this threefold witness (water, blood, Spirit) strengthen your assurance that Jesus is the Son of God and that your faith rests on solid ground?
- Think of a time when you were tempted to separate Jesus's teaching from his death (for example, treating him as just a good teacher). How does this passage tie them together?
- Practically, how can you 'receive' the witness of water and blood in your own walk with Christ (e.g., remembering your baptism, partaking in Communion, telling others about the cross)?
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)
| Leviticus 17:11 | For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. |
| Isaiah 45:3 | I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who calls you by your name, even the God of Israel. |
| Isaiah 45:4 | For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me. |
| Ezekiel 36:25 | I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. |
| Zechariah 9:11 | As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. |
| Matthew 26:28 | for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. |
| Mark 14:24 | He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. |
| Luke 22:20 | Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. |
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
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a typological contrast: Moses came only by water, Aaron only by blood, but Jesus came by both, not as a type but in reality and by his own authority. The water points to his baptism, the blood to his sacrificial death, and the Spirit witnesses both.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the "water and blood" refer to the literal flow from Jesus' side when the soldier pierced him. He rejects interpretations that connect them to baptism or any ordinance, insisting that both are physical, tangible testimonies to Christ's identity as the Son of God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees the water and blood as pointing to the Old Testament ceremonies: water for purification and blood for atonement. Christ fulfills both, and John's point is that the Messiah himself brings the real cleansing and reconciliation those rituals only pictured. Calvin denies that water refers to baptism, linking it instead to the flow from Christ's side.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary interprets the water and blood as Christ's baptism and his death on the cross. This reading explains the order of the words and the prepositions used. The central point is to insist that the Son of God was fully present in both events, contradicting Gnostic claims that the divine Christ departed before the crucifixion.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that Jesus Christ came not only by water but also by blood. This dual testimony is crucial, and the Spirit, who is truth itself, bears witness to it.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that "water" in this verse means Christ's baptism, where the Father declared him Son of God, and "blood" means his own death on the cross. Christ was revealed as the Son of God through both events, not by water alone as John the Baptist was.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that Jesus came not by water alone but also by blood, meaning His baptism and His atoning death both testify to His Messiahship. The Spirit adds a third witness. So Christ came not only to submit to water baptism but to shed His blood, giving water its spiritual significance.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent argues that "by water and blood" refers to the means through which Jesus accomplished His Messianic work: His baptism at the start and His death on the cross. He insists these are historical facts and present witnesses, not merely symbolic references to the sacraments or the incident in John 19:34.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley insists that the testimony confirming Jesus as the Son of God rests on divine, not merely human, evidence: the Spirit, the water of his baptism, and the blood he shed on the cross. By coming both through water and blood, Jesus fulfills his entire mission, and the Spirit's witness through Scripture is unshakable because the Spirit is truth itself.