1 John 5:4 Memorization Tutorial (Video)

Memorize-1-John-5-4-Tutorial-Video

Verse of the Day 8.16.17 — 1 John 5:4

4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.1

ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον. καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον, ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν2

C4C Translation: because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. And this is the conquering that has conquered the world — our faith.

  • I decided to try to preserve the wordplay found in the original Greek3
    — for the word for conquer is the verb νικάω (nikaō),4 which is has the same root for the word (a noun) the NIV translates “victory” — νίκη (nikē).5 Now, one may realize why, perhaps, Nike chose its brand name.
  • In 1 John, the “world,” in the words of B.F. Westcott, is a term that “gathers up the sum of all the limited, transitory powers opposed to God which make obedience difficult.”6 These include sinful immoral pressures rife in a secular society (e.g. the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn 2:15))7 that lives in opposition to God.
  • This is apparently the only instance in the New Testament where John uses the word “faith” (πίστις (pistis)) as a noun. Normally, he employs the verb πιστεύω (pisteuō), which has the same root — perhaps pointing to the dynamic nature of faith8
    (active trust).
  • “Our faith” appears to be an appositive — “A word used to clarify or add to the meaning or significance of another word or clause.”9. Therefore, I opted for use of the dash (a la ESV, NASB95).







Memorization

Memorize 1 John 5:4 after watching a brief video tutorial illustrating the How to Memorize Any Bible Verse in Less Than Five Minutes method below:



Sources

  1. The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Jn 5:4.
  2. Michael W. Holmes, The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Lexham Press; Society of Biblical Literature, 2011–2013), 1 Jn 5:4.
  3. “A translation that keeps the root the same in English would read: ‘For everyone born of God conquers the world. This is the conquering that has conquered the world, even our faith.’ ” Daniel L. Akin, 1, 2, 3 John, vol. 38, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 192.
  4. The Lexham Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Logos Bible Software, 2011)
  5. The Lexham Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Logos Bible Software, 2011)
  6. quoted in John R. W. Stott, The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 19, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 174.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Colin G. Kruse, The Letters of John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2000), 173.
  9. Albert L. Lukaszewski, The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament Glossary (Lexham Press, 2007).
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Imperfect Servant ✝?⛪ | Husband | Princeton U. Alum | M. Div. | Assistant (to the) Pastor | Sound Doctrine & Apologetics @catchforchrist