1 John 5:21

21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

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1 John 5:21 in Other Translations

KJV

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

ESV

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

NLT

21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

MSG

21 Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles.

CSB

21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

1 John 5:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 5:21

Little children, keep yourselves from idols, Amen.
] From Heathen idols and idolatry, into which the saints in those times might be liable to be drawn, by reason of their dwelling among Heathen idolaters, and being related to them, and by the too great freedom used in eating things sacrificed to idols in their temples; and from all other idols that might be introduced by some who went by the name of Christians, as the Gnostics, who worshipped the images of Simon and Helena; and the passage may be an antidote against the worshipping of images, afterwards introduced by the Papists. Moreover, errors and false doctrines, which are the figments of men's minds, and what they are fond of, may be called idols, and should be guarded against, and abstained from; as also the lusts of men's hearts, and all the evil things that are in the world, which are adored by the men of it; and even every creature that is loved too much is an idol; hence covetousness is called idolatry; nor should any creature or thing be loved more than God or Christ: the one only living and true God, Father, Son, and Spirit, he is only to be worshipped, feared, and loved.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 John 5:21 In-Context

19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.