Of God (εκ του θεου). See 1. John 3:10; 1. John 4:6 for this idiom.

Lieth in the evil one (εν τω πονηρω κειτα). Present middle indicative of the defective verb κειμα, to lie, as in Luke 2:12. Πονηρω is masculine, like ο πονηρος in verse 1. John 5:18. This is a terrible picture of the Graeco-Roman world of the first century A.D., which is confirmed by Paul in Romans 1; 2 and by Horace, Seneca, Juvenal, Tacitus.