And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe.

And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.

And he who saw it bears witness, and his witness is true, and he knows that he says true that ye also may believe.

And he that saw it, testified, and his testimony is true: and he knoweth that he speaketh truth, that ye may believe.

and he who hath seen hath testified, and his testimony is true, and that one hath known that true things he speaketh, that ye also may believe.

And he that saw it bore record, and his record is true: and he knows that he said true, that you might believe.

This statement is the testimony of an eye-witness, and it is true. He knows that he is telling the truth - in order that you also may believe.

And he who saw it has given witness (and his witness is true; he is certain that what he says is true) so that you may have belief.

And he who saw this has offered testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knows that he speaks the truth, so that you also may believe.

This is the statement of one who actually saw it – and his statement may be relied on, and he knows that he is speaking the truth – and it is given in order that you also may be convinced.

He that saw it - John himself. He is accustomed to speak of himself in the third person.
His record is true - His testimony is true. Such was the known character of this writer, such his sacred regard for truth, that he could appeal to that with full assurance that all would put confidence in him. He often appeals thus to the fact that his testimony was known to be true. It would be well if all Christians had such a character that their word would be assuredly believed.

He that saw it - Most probably John himself, who must have been pretty near the cross to have been able to distinguish between the blood and the water, as they issued from the side of our blessed Lord.
And he knoweth - This appears to be an appeal to the Lord Jesus, for the truth of the testimony which he had now delivered. But why such a solemn appeal, unless there was something miraculous in this matter? It might appear to him necessary:
1. Because the other evangelists had not noticed it.
2. Because it contained the most decisive proof of the death of Christ: as a wound such as this was could not have been inflicted, (though other causes had been wanting), without occasioning the death of the person; and on his dying for men depended the salvation of the world. And,
3. Because two important prophecies were fulfilled by this very circumstance, both of which designated more particularly the person of the Messiah. A bone of him shall not be broken, Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20. They shall look upon him whom they pierced, Zac 12:10; Psalm 22:16.

And he that saw it, bare record,.... Meaning himself, John the evangelist, the writer of this Gospel, who, in his great modesty, frequently conceals himself, under one circumlocution or another; he was an eyewitness of this fact, not only of the piercing of his side with a spear, but of the blood and water flowing out of it; which he saw with his eyes, and bore record of to others, and by this writing; and was ready to attest it in any form it should be desired:
and his record is true; though it is not mentioned by any of the other evangelists, none of them but himself being present at that time:
and he knoweth that he saith true; meaning either God or Christ, who knew all things; and so it is a sort of appeal to God or Christ, for the truth of what he affirmed, as some think; or rather himself, who was fully assured that he was under no deception, and was far from telling an untruth; having seen the thing done with his eyes, and being led into the mystery of it by the Divine Spirit; see 1-John 5:6 wherefore he could, and did declare it with the strongest asseverations:
that ye might believe; the truth of the fact, and in Christ, both for the expiation of the guilt of sin, and cleansing from the filth of it; both for sanctifying and justifying grace, which the water and the blood were an emblem of.

And he that saw it bare record--hath borne witness.
and his witness is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe--This solemn way of referring to his own testimony in this matter has no reference to what he says in his Epistle about Christ's "coming by water and blood" (see on 1-John 5:6), but is intended to call attention both to the fulfilment of Scripture in these particulars, and to the undeniable evidence he was thus furnishing of the reality of Christ's death, and consequently of His resurrection; perhaps also to meet the growing tendency, in the Asiatic churches, to deny the reality of our Lord's body, or that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" (1-John 4:1-3).

His testimony is true - Valid, unexceptionable. And he knoweth - And his conscience beareth him witness, that he testifieth this for no other end, than that ye may believe.