Some Say 1st John 5:7 as It Reads "Father, Word and Holy Ghost", Was Not in the Original Text and Is an Alteration to the Bible. What Do You Say?
1) Direct Answer
I receive 1 John 5:7 as Scripture as it stands. It is not an alteration to me; it is the Word of God, and it perfectly agrees with the whole Bible’s witness of one God revealed as Father, Word (made flesh as the Son), and Holy Ghost.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- God guards His Word: “Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “The word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
- The wording fits John’s own vocabulary and theme:
- “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh” (John 1:1,14).
- John’s subject in 1 John 5 is the threefold witness: “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ… it is the Spirit that beareth witness” (1 John 5:6). Verse 7 gives the heavenly witness; verse 8 gives the earthly witness. That’s John’s pattern of testimony.
- And the truth it declares is taught everywhere else: “Hear, O Israel; the LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4). “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- If “Father, Word, and Holy Ghost” were an intrusion, why does it fit John’s own language (“Word”), his theme of witnesses, and the immediate parallel of verse 8?
- If someone removes verse 7, does the Bible stop teaching one God manifested in Christ? No. The same truth stands in many clear passages.
- The harmony of verse 7 (“these three are one”) with verse 8 (“these three agree in one”) shows a deliberate, Spirit-given structure: one God’s heavenly witness, and His witness in the earth.
Short Reinforcing Statement
I stand with the Scripture as written. 1 John 5:7 is a true, Spirit-breathed witness of the one God—Father, Word, and Holy Ghost—these three are one.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Show us the Father and it will satisfy us
60-0731 §52
And he said, "Well, what do you think we Lutherans has got? Do you think that...? We believe that we receive the Holy Ghost, when we believed?" I said, "Paul would differ with you in Acts 19. He said, 'Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?' He never said... Now, you take that through the Greek, Hebrew, or whatever you wish to, it's since you believed." Now, they believe. Our Baptist church taught you received the Holy Ghost when you believed, but it's not right. Paul said, "Have you received the Holy...
What was the Holy Ghost given for?
59-1217 §44
"If ye abide in me and my words in you, ask what you will," because you're asking His Word, and His Word is life. Speak it; if God said it and you're sure He said it, the Holy Ghost bears record that Word's right, then there you are, brother. Speak it! There it is. "Say to this mountain, be moved. Don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you have said will come to pass." It's not you that speaketh, but the Father that dwelleth in you, He doeth the talking. It's not you talking to that mountain; it's the Fat...
What was the Holy Ghost given for?
59-1217 §39
Now, we want to read just a little further in this Scripture now. St. John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [Which the right translation there is "more," if you want to look it up.] greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. If He went to the Father, the Holy Spirit would come. Is that right? Another Scripture said, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come; but if I go away, I'll come again and be with you,...
What is the Holy Ghost?
59-1216 §33
Now, in John 14, let's just read just a little bit, beginning at the tenth verse: Believest thou ... that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (Think of that. Now.) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he ... also; and greater works than these shall he do...
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §89
And now, I hope that didn't hurt, but it's truth, see. It's truth, brother. You can't make that... You can't hit Father, Son, Holy Ghost one place and Jesus in the other, when nobody was ever baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Every person in the Bible was baptized in the name of Jesus, and those that wasn't baptized that way had to come and be baptized over again before they could even get the Holy Ghost. They might act like they got a lot of power. You've got to follow God's infinite plan. That's ex...