Limitless Word
For there are three that testify:
1 John 5:7 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB For there are three who testify:
  • KJV For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
  • NKJV For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
  • NASB For there are three that testify:
  • NLT So we have these three witnesses—

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

John declares that there are three witnesses who testify together to Jesus. Scripture gives multiple confirming testimonies to the truth about Christ.

Overview

This verse introduces the threefold witness completed in verse 8. The principle of multiple witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15) underlies John's appeal: God provides ample confirmation of his Son. Many later manuscripts added the 'Johannine Comma' naming Father, Word, and Spirit here; faithful scholars widely agree this addition is not part of the original text, though the doctrine of the Trinity it touches is taught elsewhere in Scripture.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 28

  • Matt 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
  • 2 Cor 13:14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
  • Acts 5:32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
  • Matt 3:16–17As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
  • John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  • 1 Jn 5:6This 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.
  • Acts 2:33Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
  • John 8:54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’
  • John 1:32–34Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
  • Isa 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
  • Matt 17:5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
  • John 10:30I and the Father are one.”
  • Heb 2:3–4how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
  • John 10:37–38If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
  • 1 Cor 12:4–6There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
  • Isa 48:16–17Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.
  • Ps 33:6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.
  • Deut 6:4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
  • 1 Jn 5:10–11Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.
  • John 8:13–14So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
  • Heb 4:12–13For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
  • John 5:26For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.
  • John 12:28Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
  • Rev 1:4–5John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne,
  • John 8:18I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”
  • Rev 19:13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.
  • Matt 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
  • 1 Jn 1:1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 John 5:7YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Jesus is the Word of life made manifest, the propitiation for our sins, the Son in whom is eternal life — 'that you may know that you have eternal life.'

How 1 John 5:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.