1 John 5:17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
The setting
Same letter, verse later. John clarifies his previous statement about deadly vs non-deadly sin...
The emotion here: clarifying with gentle firmness after seeing confusion
The original word
adikia (ἀδικία) — injustice, anything that violates God's righteous standard
Why it matters
This letter was likely circular, read aloud in multiple house churches
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 John 5:17
John uses two different Greek words for sin in one verse - showing the complexity of the issue
Common misconceptionPeople think this contradicts verse 16 about deadly sin, but John is saying ALL sin matters to God, while some sin leads to spiritual death and some doesn't - it's about the heart's direction, not the sin's severity.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 John 5:17
Bible Genome reading
1 John 5:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 John 5:17 comes from the book of 1 John, written during the Apostolic period. These words are attributed to John. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sin, degrees of sin. Notable phrases: All unrighteousness is sin; sin not leading to death.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 1 John 5:17 mean to you, today?
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