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1 John 5:16-18
New Catholic Bible
1 John 5:16-18
New Catholic Bible
16 If anyone sees a brother commit a sin
that does not lead to death,
he should intercede for him,
and God will grant him life—
provided that the sin is not deadly.
There is a sin that leads to death,
and I do not say
that you should pray about it.[a]
17 All wrongdoing is sinful,
but not all sins are deadly.
The Great Certitudes[b]
18 We know that one born of God does not continue to sin,
because he who is born of God protects him,
and the evil one has no power over him.
Footnotes
- 1 John 5:16 In general, the words There is a sin that leads to death refer not to just any sin that causes the loss of sanctifying grace (the “life of the soul”), but to an especially serious sin, such as apostasy, that causes the loss not only of grace but of faith as well. The distinction is intended to underscore the danger in which those who abandon the Christian fellowship (“are excommunicated”) place themselves, and to instill a salutary fear into them.
- 1 John 5:18 The great certitudes that the speculations of the false teachers would like to shake are affirmed one last time, like a cry of victory. The community of God’s children, adhering to Christ, overcomes the forces of evil, truly knows God, and shares his life. To seek anything else is idolatry. The idols to be avoided are either paganism or the false gods of the heart that can turn believers away from faith and love.
