Easter Season · Seventh Sunday of Easter · Year B
1 John 5:9-13
Paul in Ephesus
May 9, 2027
Overview & Insights
“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them.” (Acts 19:6)
This section and the one before it are a pair. They are both concerned with the relationship of Christianity to an imperfect form of the faith—“the baptism of John.” In this case Paul deals with the situation himself. These verses include also a brief description of his ministry in Ephesus, aspects of which are illustrated in the following section. But again we must turn to Paul’s letters to fill out our knowledge of these years. They show that his achievement in Ephesus was at the cost of much suffering (1 Cor. 15:32; 2 Cor. 1:8; 4:9ff.; 6:4ff.), including, perhaps, an imprisonment (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23) and a “flying visit” to Corinth in an attempt to bring order into that church’s troubled affairs (cf. 2 Cor. 12:14; 13:1; also 2 Cor. 2:1; see disc. on 21:21).
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Commentary
Commentary on 1 John 5:9-13 Working Preacher
Luther Seminary scholar unpacks the testimony of God about the Son and the assurance of eternal life.
Enduring Word Commentary, 1 John 5 Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik walks the chapter's witness of the Spirit, the water, and the blood to the Son.
1 John 5:9 Commentaries BibleHub
Aggregated classic commentaries on the greater witness of God concerning his Son.
1 John 5:9 Commentary Precept Austin
Verse-by-verse evangelical study with word notes on receiving God's testimony about the Son.
Background & Word Study
1 John, Enter the Bible book overview Enter the Bible
Background on the letter's community, purpose, and themes of assurance and eternal life.
Overview: 1-3 John BibleProject
Animated overview of the Johannine letters frames the testimony-and-life argument of chapter 5.
1 John 5:9 Interlinear BibleHub
Greek word study on witness (martyria) and having (echo) life in the Son.
Messiah biblical theme BibleProject
Theme video on Jesus as the promised Son of God grounds John's claim that life is found in him.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What happens at Ephesus in Acts 19?
Paul finds disciples who knew only John's baptism; baptized now in the name of the Lord Jesus and receiving the Spirit through Paul's hands, they speak in tongues and prophesy.
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