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.
1 JOHN 5:9KJVWhat does 1 John 5:9 mean?
1 John 5:9 says that if people are willing to accept what other humans say as true, then what God says is even more trustworthy and important—especially because God has given clear testimony about His Son. The verse highlights that God’s own witness about Jesus is the highest authority.
The apostle John is writing to early Christians, encouraging them to trust God’s message about Jesus Christ. In the surrounding verses, John talks about different kinds of testimony—what people say, what God says, and how God has made His truth known. Here, John points out that God’s testimony about Jesus is not just another opinion; it is the ultimate truth that believers can rely on.
The Greek behind 1 John 5:9
- μαρτυρία (martyria, “witness”): This word appears several times in the verse and means testimony or evidence. John uses it to emphasize that God’s testimony about Jesus is not just a claim but a solid, trustworthy declaration.
- μείζων (meizōn, “greater”): This word means greater or more important. John uses it to stress that God’s witness carries more weight than any human testimony.
- μεμαρτύρηκεν (memartyrēken, “testified”): This verb means to bear witness or to give evidence. John uses it to show that God has actively given testimony about His Son, not just passively allowed it to be said.
Why 1 John 5:9 matters
- 1 John 5:9 clarifies that God’s testimony about Jesus is not on the same level as human opinions or reports; it stands above them all.
- The verse helps readers see the seriousness of God’s declaration about who Jesus is, building confidence in the truth of the Christian message.
- This verse connects to the larger theme in 1 John about believing in Jesus as the Son of God, showing that faith is grounded in God’s own trustworthy word.