1 John 5:13 Meaning and Explanation
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →John wrote his whole letter for one reason: so that we would know for certain that we have eternal life.
The Context of 1 John 5:13
Near the close of his letter, John pauses to tell us why he wrote it at all. He addresses those who already believe on the name of the Son of God, and names the assurance he longs for them to carry.
What Does 1 John 5:13 Mean?
John steps back and tells us his purpose for the whole letter: 'that ye may know that ye have eternal life.' That little word 'know' is the gift here. He wants us to have settled, restful confidence instead of drifting in anxious uncertainty, wondering each day whether we truly belong to God. And the ground of it is clear: this is for those who 'believe on the name of the Son of God,' those who have entrusted themselves to Jesus.
There is great tenderness in this. John knows how the heart can doubt, and so he puts the assurance in writing, something we can return to and read again. The life we have rests on the One we believe in, steadier than the strength of our feelings. To rest on the name of the Son of God is to have life, and John wants us to know it, plainly and for certain.
1 John 5:13 in the Original Language
oida (οἶδα), 'know' -- to know with settled certainty, a sure and full knowledge.
Where 1 John 5:13 Echoes in Scripture
John wrote his Gospel with a closely matching purpose: 'these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name' (John 20:31).
How to Apply 1 John 5:13 Today
This verse is permission to be sure. John wrote to let us know that, resting on the name of the Son of God, we already have eternal life, rather than to leave us anxious. Our assurance stands on Jesus, and that is a thing we are meant to know.