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YLT 1 John 5:17 all unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death.

Physical death or spiritual death? Or both.

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    Roberto, this is a good question, but it would be helpful if you provided a little more of your own research for the question. Just trying to be helpful, okay? Commented 13 hours ago
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    I adjusted the formatting Commented 11 hours ago

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1 John 5

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. (NABRE)

"Sin unto death" (YLT) refers to sins that are punishable by death under OT Law, probably with modifications in a Christian context. John urges his readers/hearers to pray for church members who have committed what many today call "venal sins" but not for those who have committed sins that constitute sins punishable by death, such as murder, adultery, incest, idolatry, blasphemy etc.

Regarding whether John had spiritual death or physical death in mind, the answer here is physical death - a sin involving capital punishment.

Addendum:

Here is a more complete list gleaned from an A.I search. John surely had some of these in mind although perhaps not all of them. For example, Christians were encouraged to ignore parental and state authority in cases where it forbade conversion to belief in Christ. Also, laws concerning the Temple and the priesthood were moot in a Christian context by the time that 1 John was written.

Murder (Exodus 21:12-14; Leviticus 24:17-21; Numbers 35:16-31)

  • Adultery: (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24)

  • Incestuous relations (Leviticus 20:11-12, 14)

  • Bestiality: (Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 20:15-16)

  • Homosexual acts (Leviticus 20:13)

  • Idolatry and Blasphemy (Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 13:6-10; Leviticus 24:10-16)

  • Sorcery, Witchcraft, and Mediumship (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27)

  • Rebellion Against Parents or Authority: (Exodus 21:15, 17; Deuteronomy 21:18-21)

  • Kidnapping (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7)

  • Breaking the Sabbath intentionally (Exodus 31:14; Numbers 15:32-36).

  • False prophecy or leading others from God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5)

  • False witness or perjury in capital matters (Deuteronomy 19:16-21)

  • Failure to follow court rulings or desecration of the Tabernacle (Deuteronomy 17:8-12; Numbers 1:51)

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Willful sin, the kind Paul mentions as requiring personal willful repentance, is the sin that leads to death.

"For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful watching for judgment and fiery indignation that will devour the enemies." -- Hebrews 10:26.

This is the sin called "high-handed" or "presumptuous" in Leviticus 15:30 and elsewhere. There was no sacrifice for it.

It contrasts with sins of ignorance (Lev 4). And so Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing." And we are told that God counts us under "unbelief" so that He can give mercy to all. Romans 11:32.

So prayer for willful sin by intelligent Christians is not likely to delay judgments on them. They need to personally repent.

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