1 John 5:18

American Standard Version (1901)

We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Οἴδαμεν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· ἀλλʼ ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τηρεῖ ἐαυτὸν, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς οὐχ ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ.

Transliteration

We oidamen that everyone gegennēmenos from the Theou not hamartanei; but the one gennētheis from the Theou tērei heauton, and the ponēros not haptetai him.

Grammar Details

• *oidamen*: perfect active indicative, 1st plural - we know
• *hoti*: conjunction - that
• *pas*: nominative, masculine, singular - everyone/all
• *gegennēmenos*: perfect passive participle, nominative, masculine, singular - having been born/begotten
• *ek*: preposition with genitive - from/out of
• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *ouch*: negative particle - not
• *hamartanei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - sins
• *alla*: adversative conjunction - but
• *gennētheis*: aorist passive participle, nominative, masculine, singular - having been born/begotten
• *tērei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - keeps/guards
• *heauton*: reflexive pronoun, accusative, masculine, singular - himself
• *ponēros*: nominative, masculine, singular - evil one
• *haptetai*: present middle indicative, 3rd singular - touches
• *autou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of him

Word Meanings

• *oidamen*: we know/we understand/we perceive
• *gegennēmenos*: having been born/having been begotten/having been brought forth
• *hamartanei*: sins/errs/misses the mark
• *gennētheis*: having been born/having been begotten/having been brought forth
• *tērei*: keeps/guards/watches over
• *heauton*: himself/his own self
• *ponēros*: evil one/wicked one/malicious one
• *haptetai*: touches/lays hold of/clings to

Referenced Verses

• Jude 1:21 : 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
• 1 John 3:9 : 9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.
• Jas 1:27 : 27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
• 1 Pet 1:23 : 23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.
• 1 John 2:13-14 : 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one.
• 1 John 2:29 : 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.
• 1 John 3:3 : 3 And every one that hath this hope [set] on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
• 1 John 3:12 : 12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
• 1 John 4:6 : 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
• 1 John 5:1 : 1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
• 1 John 5:4 : 4 For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, [even] our faith.
• 1 John 5:21 : 21 [ My] little children, guard yourselves from idols.
• Ps 17:4 : 4 As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
• Ps 18:23 : 23 I was also perfect with him, And I kept myself from mine iniquity.
• Ps 39:1 : 1 [For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David]. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
• Ps 119:101 : 101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, That I might observe thy word.
• Prov 4:23 : 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
• John 1:13 : 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
• John 3:2-5 : 2 the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!
• John 14:30 : 30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;
• John 15:4 : 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
• John 15:7 : 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
• John 15:9 : 9 Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love.
• Acts 11:23 : 23 who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord:
• Jas 1:18 : 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• Jude 1:24 : 24 Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,
• Rev 2:13 : 13 I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.
• Rev 3:8-9 : 8 I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. 9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.