1 John 5:19

“[And] we know that we are of God, &c.] The sons of God, and regenerated by him; this is known by the Spirit of God, which witnesses to the spirits of the saints that they are the children of God; and by the fruits and effects of regenerating grace, as love to the brethren, and the like: and the whole world lies in wickedness; that is, the men of the world, the greater part of the inhabitants of it, who are as they were when they came into it, not being born of God; these are addicted to sin and, wickedness; the bias of their minds is to it, they are set upon it, and give themselves up to it, are immersed in it, and are under the power of it: or “in the wicked one”; Satan, the god of this…”

“world lieth in wickedness--rather, "lieth in the wicked one," as the Greek is translated in Jo1 5:18; Jo1 2:13-14; compare Jo1 4:4; Joh 17:14-15. The world lieth in the power of, and abiding in, the wicked one, as the resting-place and lord of his slaves; compare "abideth in death," Jo1 3:14; contrast Jo1 5:20, "we are in Him that is true." While the believer has been delivered out of his power, the whole world lieth helpless and motionless still in it, just as it was; including the wise, great, respectable, and all who are not by vital union in Christ.”

“And we know that we are of God - We who are Christians. The apostle supposed that true Christians might have so clear evidence on that subject as to leave no doubt on their own minds that they were the children of God. Compare 1 John 3:14; 2 Timothy 1:12. And the whole world - The term “world” here evidently means not the material world, but the people who dwell on the earth, including all idolaters, and all sinners of every grade and kind. Lieth in wickedness - “In the wicked one,” or under the power of the wicked one - ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ en tō ponērō. It is true that the word πονηρῷ ponērō may be used here in the neuter gender, as our translators have rendered it, meaning “in that…”

“We know that we are children of God - By the witness and the fruit of his Spirit, Jo1 3:24. But the whole world - All who have not his Spirit, not only is "touched" by him, but by idolatry, fraud, violence lasciviousness, impiety, all manner of wickedness. Lieth in the wicked one - Void of life, void of sense. In this short expression the horrible state of the world is painted in the most lively colours; a comment on which we have in the actions, conversations, contracts, quarrels, and friendships of worldly men. 1 John 5:20”

“we know: Jo1 5:10, Jo1 5:13, Jo1 5:20, Jo1 3:14, Jo1 3:24, Jo1 4:4-6; Rom 8:16; Co2 1:12, Co2 5:1; Ti2 1:12 and the: Jo1 4:4, Jo1 4:5; Joh 15:18, Joh 15:19; Rom 1:28-32, Rom 3:9-18; Gal 1:4; Tit 3:3; Jam 4:4 in wickedness: Jo1 5:18; Joh 12:31, Joh 14:30, Joh 16:11; Co2 4:4; Eph 2:2; Rev 12:9, Rev 13:7, Rev 13:8; Rev 20:3, Rev 20:7, Rev 20:8 1 John 5:20”