Does I John 5:16 teach "Mortal Sin"?

[Diane_Windsor]

1 John 5:16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

I John 5:16

Roman Catholics interpret this verse as being proof that there are two different types of sin: mortal and venial. I am having trouble disputing that claim as it does appear to say that there are certain sins that lead to death and others that do not. Can somebody help me please?
TIA

Diane

 

[St. Worm2]

Many commentaries have been written on this passage. Perhaps the one you would be most interested in, in this case at least, is "The Jerome Biblical Commentary", written by Roman Catholic scholars. Here, from the section on 1 John 5:16-17, the commentary states:

16-17. A most appropriate prayer for the Christian is for the forgiveness of his brother’s sins, that God “may give him life” when he has put himself in danger of eternal death; this prayer serves as a good example of what is “according to his will.” The author does not counsel prayer, however, for one who has sinned “unto death,” for the presumption is that it is not according to God’s will to pardon such a person. all unrighteousness is sin, but there is a sin not unto death: By a sin “unto death” the author evidently means some extraordinary sin (not necessarily specified in his own mind or in those of his readers) so terrible to contemplate that forgiveness, morally speaking, cannot be expected (cf. Str-B 3, 779). He does not mean simply mortal sin as distinguished from venial sin, for the “sins not unto death” in this context also include mortal sins. It is possible that he has in mind the activity of the “Antichrists” previously mentioned (2:18-29). The NT singles out various sins as being in such a category apart (cf. Mk 3:29 par.; Heb 6:4-8; 10:26-31).​

Brown, R. E., Fitzmyer, J. A., & Murphy, R. E. (1996, c1968). The Jerome Biblical commentary. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.

Hope that helps!!