1 John 5:18 Greek Text (Nestle-Aland 28th edition)
Greek:
> Οἴδαμεν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τηρεῖ ἑαυτόν, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς οὐχ ἅπτει αὐτοῦ.
Transliteration:
> Oídamen hóti pás ho gegennēménos ek tou Theoû ouch hamartánei, all' ho gennētheìs ek tou Theoû tēreî heautón, kai ho ponērós ouch háptei autoû.
Literal translation:
> "We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one born of God keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him."
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Key Greek Words & Grammar
1. πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ (pas ho gegennēmenos ek tou Theou)
"Everyone who has been born of God."
γεγεννημένος = perfect passive participle of γεννάω (to beget, to give birth).
The perfect tense emphasizes a completed action with continuing results — the person has been regenerated and remains in that state.
2. οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει (ouch hamartanei)
Present active indicative of ἁμαρτάνω ("to sin").
Present tense indicates habitual or ongoing action.
Translation nuance: "does not keep on sinning" rather than "never commits a single sin."
The Greek negation οὐχ makes it a strong "not at all" — John emphasizes the believer does not continue in sin as a way of life.
3. ἀλλ᾽ ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τηρεῖ ἑαυτόν (all' ho gennētheìs ek tou Theoû tēreî heautón)
"But the one born of God keeps himself."
τηρεῖ = present indicative of τηρέω, "to keep, guard, preserve."
Indicates active, ongoing self-preservation through reliance on God's Spirit, not human perfection.
4. ὁ πονηρὸς οὐχ ἅπτει αὐτοῦ (ho ponērós ouch háptei autoû)
"The evil one does not touch him."
ὁ πονηρὸς = the Evil One (Satan).
ἅπτει = present indicative of ἅπτω, "to lay hold of, touch."
Shows divine protection over the believer as a result of being born of God.
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Exegesis and Theological Implications
1. Perfect participle + present tense:
The believer has already been born of God (regeneration).
Because of this, he does not continue sinning habitually (present tense).
2. Active preservation:
"Keeps himself" is not self-salvation but describes active reliance on the Spirit, guarding against habitual sin.
3. Contrast with the evil one:
The verse emphasizes that Satan cannot claim dominion over someone born of God.
4. Pastoral implication:
John is giving assurance: regeneration is real, permanent, and transformative, not just theoretical.
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Summary in One Line:
> "Whoever has been born of God is permanently transformed and no longer lives in habitual sin; he actively relies on God's Spirit to guard himself, and the evil one cannot dominate him."
