1 John 5:16

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
If	Ἐάν Ean	G1437	a conditional particle · conditional particle
man	τις tis	G5100	some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — nominative singular masculine
see	ἴδῃ idē	G1492	used only in certain past tenses · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
his	αὐτοῦ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
brother	ἀδελφὸν adelphon	G80	a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — accusative singular masculine
sin	ἁμαρτάνοντα hamartanonta	G264	properly · verb — present active participle, accusative singular masculine
sin	ἁμαρτίαν hamartian	G266	a sin (properly abstract) · noun — accusative singular feminine
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
unto	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
death	θάνατον, thanaton	G2288	(properly · noun — accusative singular masculine
ask	αἰτήσει aitēsei	G154	to ask (in genitive case) · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person singular
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
give	δώσει dōsei	G1325	to give (used in a very wide application · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person singular
him	αὐτῷ autō	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative singular masculine
life	ζωήν, zōēn	G2222	life (literally or figuratively) · noun — accusative singular feminine
sin	ἁμαρτάνουσιν hamartanousin	G264	properly · verb — present active participle, dative plural masculine
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
unto	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
death	θάνατον.¶ thanaton	G2288	(properly · noun — accusative singular masculine
is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
sin	ἁμαρτία hamartia	G266	a sin (properly abstract) · noun — nominative singular feminine
unto	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
death	θάνατον· thanaton	G2288	(properly · noun — accusative singular masculine
do	λέγω legō	G3004	properly · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
not	οὐ ou	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
say	λέγω légō	G3004	properly
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
pray	ἐρωτήσῃ. erōtēsē	G2065	to interrogate · verb — aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
for	περὶ peri	G4012	properly · preposition
it	ἐκείνης ekeinēs	G1565	that one (or (neuter) thing) · demonstrative pronoun — genitive singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
1 Samuel 2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding the…
Jeremiah 11:14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto m…
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Mark 3:28-30 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it s…
Matthew 12:31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be…
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entang…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 5:14-17

Here we have, I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, Jo1 5:14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary either to his majesty and glory or to our own good, who are his and dependent on him. And then we may have confidence that the prayer of faith shall be heard in heaven. II. The advantage accruing to us by s…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 5:16

If any . . . see--on any particular occasion; Greek aorist. his brother--a fellow Christian. sin a sin--in the act of sinning, and continuing in the sin: present. not unto death--provided that it is not unto death. he shall give--The asker shall be the means, by his intercessory prayer, of God giving life to the sinning brother. Kindly reproof ought to accompany his intercessions. Life was in process of being forfeited by the sinning brother when the believer's intercession obtained its restoration. for them--resuming the proviso put forth in the beginning of the verse. "Provided that the sin is not unto death." "Shall give life," I say, to, that is, obtain life "for (in the case o…

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Adam Clarke on 1 John 5:16

A sin which is not unto death - This is an extremely difficult passage, and has been variously interpreted. What is the sin not unto death, for which we should ask, and life shall be given to him that commits it? And what is the sin unto death, for which we should not pray? I shall note three of the chief opinions on this subject: - 1. It is supposed that there is here an allusion to a distinction in the Jewish law, where there was חטאה למיתה chattaah lemithah, "a sin unto death;" and חטאה לא למיתה chattaah lo lemithah, "a sin not unto death;" that is, 1. A sin, or transgression, to which the law had assigned the punishment of death; such as idolatry, incest, blasphemy, breach of the Sabbat…

The Church Fathers

Since there are sins "unto death," it follows that anyone who commits one of them will die as a result.
— Origen of Alexandria, SERMONS ON LEVITICUS 11.2.6

Just as Christ washes us from our sins by interceding with the Father on our behalf, so also should we, if we know that our brother is committing a sin which is "not unto death."
— Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 2.5

It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf?
— Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Sin — Is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by…
Offences Against The Holy Spirit · Blasphemy against him, unpardonable — Blasphemy against him, unpardonable
Pardon · Pray for: For others — Pray for: For others
Prayer, Intercessory · Encouragement to — Encouragement to

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 John 5:16

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 5:14-17

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 5:16

Adam Clarke on 1 John 5:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 John 5:16

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 5:14-17

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 5:16

Adam Clarke on 1 John 5:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 John 5:16

John Calvin on 1 John 5:16-18

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 John 5:16