Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. New Living Translation Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. English Standard Version Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Berean Standard Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Berean Literal Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. King James Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. New King James Version Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. New American Standard Bible Little children, guard yourselves from idols. NASB 1995 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. NASB 1977 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Legacy Standard Bible Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Amplified Bible Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart]. Christian Standard Bible Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Holman Christian Standard Bible Little children, guard yourselves from idols. American Standard Version My little children, guard yourselves from idols. Contemporary English Version Children, you must stay away from idols. English Revised Version My little children, guard yourselves from idols. GOD'S WORD® Translation Dear children, guard yourselves from false gods. Good News Translation My children, keep yourselves safe from false gods! International Standard Version Little children, keep yourselves away from idols. Greetings from John Majority Standard Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. NET Bible Little children, guard yourselves from idols. New Heart English Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Webster's Bible Translation Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Weymouth New Testament Dear children, guard yourselves from idols. World English Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionLittle children, guard yourselves from idols! Amen. Berean Literal Bible Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Young's Literal Translation Little children, guard yourselves from the idols! Amen. Smith's Literal Translation Little children, watch yourselves from idols. Amen. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLittle children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Catholic Public Domain Version Little sons, keep yourselves from false worship. Amen. New American Bible Children, be on your guard against idols. New Revised Standard Version Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleMy children, keep yourselves from idols. Aramaic Bible in Plain English My children, keep yourselves from the worship of idols. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentLittle children, keep yourselves from idols. Godbey New Testament Little children, keep yourselves from the idols. Haweis New Testament My dear children, guard yourselves against idols. Amen. Mace New Testament dear children, keep yourselves from idols. AMEN. Weymouth New Testament Dear children, guard yourselves from idols. Worrell New Testament Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Worsley New Testament Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Concluding Remarks…20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Cross References Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, Deuteronomy 5:7-9 You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, Isaiah 44:9-20 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ... Jeremiah 10:1-5 Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. / This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them. / For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. ... Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ... Psalm 135:15-18 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ... 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God Acts 17:29 Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. Romans 1:22-23 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Ezekiel 14:6 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations. Leviticus 19:4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God. Treasury of Scripture Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Little. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: keep. Exodus 20:3,4 Thou shalt have no other gods before me… 1 Corinthians 10:7,14 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play… 2 Corinthians 6:16,17 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people… Amen. Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Jump to Previous Amen Children Dear False. Gods Guard Idols Little YourselvesJump to Next Amen Children Dear False. Gods Guard Idols Little Yourselves1 John 5 1. He who loves God loves his children, and keeps his commandments;3. which to the faithful are not grievous. 9. Jesus is the Son of God; 14. and able to hear our prayers. Little children This phrase is a term of endearment used by the Apostle John, reflecting his pastoral care and authority. It indicates a close, familial relationship between John and his readers, suggesting a spiritual maturity on his part and a need for guidance on theirs. The use of "little children" is consistent with John's style throughout his epistles, emphasizing the intimate and nurturing nature of the Christian community. This term also reflects the early church's understanding of believers as part of God's family, echoing Jesus' own use of familial language in passages like John 13:33. keep yourselves from idols Persons / Places / Events 1. John the ApostleThe author of 1 John, one of Jesus' original twelve disciples, known for his close relationship with Jesus and his emphasis on love and truth in his writings. 2. Early Christian Communities The recipients of John's letter, likely composed of various house churches in Asia Minor, facing challenges from false teachings and cultural pressures. 3. Idols In the context of 1 John, idols refer not only to physical statues or images but also to anything that takes the place of God in one's heart and life. Teaching Points Guarding Against IdolatryIdolatry is not limited to ancient practices but is a present danger in various forms, such as materialism, power, or relationships that take precedence over God. Heart Examination Regularly examine your heart to identify anything that may be competing with God for your devotion and affection. Prioritizing God Make conscious efforts to prioritize your relationship with God through prayer, scripture reading, and obedience to His commands. Cultural Awareness Be aware of cultural influences that may subtly encourage idolatry, and seek to align your values with biblical principles. Community Support Engage with a community of believers who can provide accountability and encouragement in maintaining God as the central focus of your life.Verse 21. - Keep yourselves from idols; or, guard yourselves from the idols. In verse 18 we had τηρεῖ; here the verb is φυλάξατε. The aorist, rather than the present imperative, is used to make the command more forcible, although the guarding is not momentary, but will have to continue (Compare μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, John 15:4; τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσατε John 14:15). What is the meaning of "the idols" τῶν εἰδώλων here? In answering this question it will be well to hold fast to the common canon of exegesis, that where the literal interpretation makes good sense, the literal interpretation is probably right. Here the literal interpretation makes excellent sense. Ephesus was famous for its idols. To be "temple-keeper of the great Artemis" (Acts 19:35) was its pride. The moral evils which had resulted from the abuse of the right of sanctuary had caused the Roman senate to cite the Ephesians and other states to submit their charters to the government for inspection. Ephesus had been the first to answer to the summons, and had strenuously defended its claims. It was famous, moreover, for its charms and incantations; and folly of this kind had found its way into the Christian Church (Acts 19:13-20). As so often happens with converts from a religion full of gross superstition, a good many of the superstitious observances survived the adoption of Christianity. With facts such as these before us, we can hardly be wrong in interpreting "the idols" quite literally. The apostle's "little children" could not live in Ephesus without coming constantly in contact with these polluting but attractive influences. They must have absolutely nothing to do with them: "Guard yourselves and abjure ἀπό them." Of course, this literal interpretation places no limit on the application of the text. To a Christian anything is an idol which usurps the place of God in the heart, whether this be a person, or a system, or a project, or wealth, or what not. All such usurpations come within the sweep of the apostle's injunction, "Guard yourselves from your idols."
Greek Little children,Τεκνία (Teknia) Noun - Vocative Neuter Plural Strong's 5040: A little child. Diminutive of teknon; an infant, i.e. darlings. keep φυλάξατε (phylaxate) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 5442: Probably from phule through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. Be on guard; by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid. yourselves ἑαυτὰ (heauta) Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Plural Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself. from ἀπὸ (apo) Preposition Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses. idols. εἰδώλων (eidōlōn) Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural Strong's 1497: An idol, false god. From eidos; an image; by implication, a heathen god, or the worship of such. Links 1 John 5:21 NIV1 John 5:21 NLT 1 John 5:21 ESV 1 John 5:21 NASB 1 John 5:21 KJV 1 John 5:21 BibleApps.com 1 John 5:21 Biblia Paralela 1 John 5:21 Chinese Bible 1 John 5:21 French Bible 1 John 5:21 Catholic Bible NT Letters: 1 John 5:21 Little children keep yourselves from idols (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo) |
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