Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

1 JOHN 5:1KJV
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1 John 5:1 (KJV)

What does 1 John 5:1 mean?

1 John 5:1 says that anyone who believes Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves God (the one who gives new life) will also love others who have been given new life by God. The verse connects faith in Jesus with being spiritually born from God and links love for God with love for fellow believers.

The apostle John is writing to a group of early Christians, encouraging them to see faith in Jesus as the sign of being part of God’s family. John points out that loving God naturally leads to loving others who are also “born of God,” meaning other believers. This verse ties together belief, spiritual rebirth, and love as core parts of what it means to belong to God’s family.

The Greek behind 1 John 5:1

  • "Believeth" (πιστεύων, pisteuōn): This word means to trust or have faith. In this verse, it highlights that ongoing, active trust in Jesus as the Christ is what marks someone as born of God.
  • "Born" (γεγέννηται, gegennētai): This word means to be begotten or given birth to. Here, it emphasizes that becoming a child of God is something God does, not something we achieve ourselves.
  • "Loveth" (ἀγαπᾷ, agapaō): This word refers to a deep, committed kind of love, not just affection. The verse uses it to show that real love for God includes loving others who are also His children.

Why 1 John 5:1 matters

  • 1 John 5:1 makes clear that faith in Jesus as the Christ is the foundation for being part of God’s family, not heritage, works, or background.
  • The verse links love for God with love for other believers, showing that these two cannot be separated in the Christian life.
  • This verse helps explain the practical outworking of faith: genuine belief in Jesus leads to a new identity and a new way of relating to others who share that faith.

Where else these words appear

“born” Greek G1080 · used in 65 verses

  • Matthew 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
  • Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
  • Acts 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

“loveth” Greek G25 · used in 109 verses

  • Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
  • John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,