I John 5:6-12
Occasionally some translations can vary dramatically from others. Both the ESV and the NASB give the first translation below, while the second translation is from the NKJV (I’ve emboldened the differing text):
For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. (vv. 7-8, ESV and NASB)
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. (vv. 7-8, NKJV)
Notes in all three Bibles mention that the NKJV translation comes from later manuscripts, that the words in bold do not appear in the original Greek. Clearly the NKJV is lining up the three witnesses “in heaven” with the three “on earth” – the Father with the water, the Son with the blood, and the Holy Spirit with the Spirit. If you have been following our church sermons lately, especially Michael Matlock’s latest sermon on December 20, you’ll see these two verses from I John in our “three streams, one river” teachings: the Spirit relates to the Pentecostal stream of the church, the water relates to the Evangelical stream, and the blood relates to the Catholic (and Anglican/Lutheran) stream.
The Catholic stream has the longest history, with apostolic succession going all the way back to St. Peter. The Evangelical stream rose with the Reformation (Martin Luther and others) beginning in the early 16th century. The Pentecostal stream is the newest, rising in the United States (in Kansas) in the early 20th century. John Sherrill’s book, They Speak with Other Tongues, provides a brief history of this stream. Our being in a “three stream” denomination (ACNA) is a full and complete blessing which we should never take for granted!
Slava Bohu!
I like the way you tied this to Michael’s sermon on Sunday, Fred.
V. 12 is in the present tense, Whoever has the Son has life (NOW)!… We don’t have to wait or work for it. Wow!
Amen!