Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
1 John 5:20 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 20. 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Verse 20 confesses that the Son has come and gives understanding to know the true one, then calls the true God and eternal life 'this.'
Read It With
- 1 John 5:18-21
Read 1 John 5:18–21 as one complete movement. Three 'we know' statements in verses 18–20 summarize new birth, protection, world-allegiance, the Son's coming, understanding, and the true God; verse 21 closes with an abrupt appeal to guard from idols.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Verse 20 confesses that the Son has come and gives understanding to know the true one, then calls the true God and eternal life 'this.' The close gathers the letter's birth, knowledge, protection, world, Son, life, and truth themes and ends with vigilant worship rather than speculation about opponents.
Read 1 John 5:18–21 together
Why these verses belong together: Three closing certainties about birth, belonging, and the Son lead to the final guard against idols.
Verse 18. 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Verse 19. 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Verse 20. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Verse 21. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Follow the Context
- The born-of-God person is described as not sinning, while a disputed subject keeps or is kept from the evil one's grasp.
- The community knows it belongs to God while the whole world lies in the evil one's power.
- The Son of God has come and given understanding to know the true one.
- Believers are in the true one and in his Son Jesus Christ; 'this' is called the true God and eternal life.
- The little children are told to guard themselves from idols.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“This is the true God, and eternal life”
In plain language: The near antecedent favors Jesus for many interpreters, while Johannine usage keeps the Father reading material.
Verse 20 confesses that the Son has come and gives understanding to know the true one, then calls the true God and eternal life 'this.'
Why it matters: The verse does not make finite understanding exhaustive or authorize hostility toward another religion or uncertain questioners.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The verse does not make finite understanding exhaustive or authorize hostility toward another religion or uncertain questioners.
What Remains True
Jesus' coming gives real knowledge and participation in the true God and eternal life.
How It Can Shape Life
- Keep confidence centered on God through the Son while admitting the pronoun's grammatical alternatives.
Teach It Back
Explain 1 John 5:20's exact contribution to 1 John 5:18–21. Include the surrounding movement, one material wording or alternative, what remains uncertain, and what the verse does not permit.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read 1 John 5:18–21 — The Letter Closes with Guarded Life in the True GodSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
'This is the true God' may refer to Jesus Christ, the Father as the true one, or the complete preceding confession; a Christological referent is strong but disputed.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 1 John 5:18–21, pinned eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and variation markers used for original-language analysis.
Exact location: Official SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/1John.txt, 5:18–21
Open the 1 John Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 1 John with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual variants, and major interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible official 1 John PDF, 5:18–21 and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 1 John PDF ↗