Conservative Friends Bible Study of 1 John #11 Chapter 4 Verse 16 – Chapter 5 Verse 5

The notes from this podcast follow not so much a narrative as a more abbreviated (verse by verse) summation of selected, important Greek words from 1 John 4:16-5:5. The comments follow:  

Verses 4:16-21

   The word for “love” (used throughout 1 John) is the Koine Greek word, “agape”, an unconditional love which carries a strong sense of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. In this kind of love, one doesn’t wait for the other person to love, but instead, one should initiate the loving, open response. 

 The Greek word “teleios” translated as “perfect” in the King James Version (KJV) was correct for the English of that time, but has a very different meaning today, where it tends to be understood as completely  without any error. However, as understood in the original Greek (and at the time of the writing of the KJV), it meant “full, spiritual development”/”mature”/“fully ripe” (thinking of fruit. 

Verse 5:1-5

The Greek word “pisteuo” usually translated as “believe” has as its Greek meaning: “trust”/”put one’s trust in”/”have confidence in”. 

The Greek word, “nikao” often translated “victory” means to “overcome”/”conquer”/”be victorious”.  

  The advice in our introduction is from page 30 of the Ohio Yearly Meeting's Book of Discipline.