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1 John 5 · a question people ask

"There is sin leading to death." (5:16). What does it mean?

In the text

Here are the verses as the WEB has them: "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this." (5:16) "All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." (5:17). These notes don't explain it further, and they set no other verse beside it.

The verses

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”
1 John 5:16-17 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 John 5

1 John 5: This is the victory

In 5:4-5 the chapter speaks three times of overcoming the world: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world" (5:4), and 5:5 asks who overcomes it. The letter's last verse is "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." (5:21).

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Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions