: The Comma Johanneum (or Johannine Comma) is a disputed textual variant found in 1 John 5 of the New Testament. The longer, disputed version is not found in the original Greek manuscripts.
First, what does "testify" (or witness) mean in 1 John 5:7-8? In the context of 1 John, the testimony refers to the witness of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ. Verse 7 simply emphasizes John's claim that there is evidence proving Jesus is the Son of God. In verse 6, these were defined as the water, the blood, and the witness of the Spirit. The water and blood refers to God's voice at Jesus' baptism, His crucifixion and resurrection. Verse 8 repeats the identities of the three who testify, and emphasizes their agreement. Verse 9 points out that the testimony of God is greater than that of men, establishing that Jesus is the Son of God.
A disputed clause, called Comma, was inserted between verses 7 and 8 in some later versions of 1 John. Both versions of 1 John 5:7-8 are shown below. The long version includes the disputed Comma.
If the Comma Johanneum were an original part of the passage, it would be the most direct reference to the Trinity in the Bible. However, the evidence for this longer version is not strong. Its presence was not known in Greek until manuscripts of the fifteenth century. Even then, most versions are found only in Latin translations. The Greek linguist Erasmus did not include this longer ending in his earlier editions of the Greek New Testament (Textus Receptus), yet included it in later editions (beginning with the third edition) after pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. The KJV and NKJV are based on Textus Receptus, which is why they include the Comma.
Further evidence against the Comma is seen in the absence of this longer quote from 1 John in the writings of the church fathers. Because the concept of the Trinity was a point of great importance in early church creeds and writings, it seems highly unlikely that no church father would quote this verse in defense of the teaching of the Trinity if the longer version was in existence at that time.
The evidence supports the shorter reading of 1 John 5:7-8, yet this in no way diminishes the Bible's teachings regarding the Triune nature of God. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) shows Jesus commanding His disciples to baptize believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Other passages emphasizing the Trinity include Matthew 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.