1 John 5:9

If we receive (ei lambanomen). Condition of first class with ei and the present active indicative, assumed as true. The conditions for a legally valid witness are laid down in Deuteronomy 19:15 (cf. Matthew 18:16 ; John 8:17 ; John 10:25 ; 2 Corinthians 13:1 ). Greater (meizwn). Comparative of mega, because God is always true. For (oti). So it applies to this case. That (oti). Thus taken in the declarative sense (the fact that) as in John 3:19 , though it can be causal (because) or indefinite relative with memarturhken (what he hath testified, perfect active indicative of marturew, as in John 1:32 ; John 4:44 , etc.), a harsh construction here because of marturia, though some MSS. do read en to agree with it (cf. verse John 10 ). See oti ean in John 3:20 for that idiom. Westcott notes the Trinity in verses 1 John 5:6-9 : the Son comes, the Spirit witnesses, the Father has witnessed.