He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1 JOHN 5:10KJV
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1 John 5:10 (KJV)

What does 1 John 5:10 mean?

1 John 5:10 says that anyone who trusts in the Son of God has an inner confirmation or assurance, but anyone who does not believe God is, in effect, calling God a liar because they refuse to accept what God has said about His Son. The verse draws a sharp line between belief and unbelief, showing that rejecting God's testimony is a serious matter.

The apostle John is writing to early Christians, encouraging them to hold firmly to their faith in Jesus as God's Son. He explains that belief is not just an outward claim but brings a real, personal certainty inside the believer. John also warns that refusing to believe God's message about Jesus is not a neutral act; it is treating God's own words as untrue.

The Greek behind 1 John 5:10

  • μαρτυρία (martyria, "witness" or "testimony"): This word means more than just evidence; it refers to a strong, reliable testimony, often used in a legal sense. Here, it highlights that belief in Jesus brings a deep, trustworthy assurance within the believer.
  • ψεύστης (pseustēs, "liar"): Calling someone a liar was a serious accusation. John uses this strong term to show the gravity of rejecting God's direct testimony about His Son.
  • πιστεύω (pisteuō, "believeth"): This word means to trust or rely on, not just to agree intellectually. The verse stresses that real faith involves personal trust in what God has said about Jesus.

Why 1 John 5:10 matters

  • 1 John 5:10 clarifies that faith is not only about accepting facts but involves a personal, inward conviction given by God.
  • The verse warns that unbelief is not a minor issue; it is a direct challenge to God's truthfulness, which raises the stakes for the reader.
  • This verse connects to the wider message of 1 John, which emphasizes the importance of believing in Jesus as the foundation for knowing God and having eternal life.

Where else these words appear

“liar” Greek G5583 · used in 10 verses

  • John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
  • 1 Timothy 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
  • 1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

“witness” Greek G3141 · used in 33 verses

  • Mark 14:55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
  • John 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
  • 1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

“gave” Greek G3140 · used in 75 verses

  • Matthew 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
  • John 8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
  • 2 Corinthians 8:3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;