And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
Parallel translations
- WEB the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
- BSB the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.
- NKJV And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
- NASB the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
- NLT the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.
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
The Spirit, the water, and the blood all testify and agree as one. Their united witness confirms the truth of who Jesus is.
Overview
John names the three witnesses: the Spirit's inward testimony and the historical realities of Jesus' baptism (or incarnate ministry) and atoning death. Their agreement provides the legally sufficient testimony required by the law of multiple witnesses. The combined evidence assures believers that their faith in the Son of God rests on solid, God-given ground.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Jn 5:6–7This 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.
- John 15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
- 1 Pet 3:21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
- Acts 2:2–4And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
- Rom 8:16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
- Matt 26:26–28And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
- 2 Cor 1:22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
- Matt 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
- Mark 14:56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
- Heb 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
- Heb 13:12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
- Acts 15:15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 5:8 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.