1 John 5:7-8 — "The Comma Johanneum"

The Catholic Church's treatment of the 'Comma Johanneum' (1 John 5:7b-8a, 'the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one') reflects scholarly acknowledgment that this phrase is not part of the original Greek text, despite its presence in the Latin Vulgate tradition. Modern Catholic Bibles, including the New American Bible and other contemporary translations, place this text in brackets or in footnotes, indicating its secondary status. The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not rely on this passage for Trinitarian doctrine, drawing instead on passages with stronger textual pedigree.

Catholic biblical scholarship, influenced by textual criticism, recognizes the Comma Johanneum as a fifth or sixth-century Latin addition, likely added to strengthen Trinitarian theology. While the passage remains in many Catholic texts due to liturgical tradition, it is not treated as primary evidence for Catholic doctrine. The Church's position reflects the harmony between modern biblical scholarship and doctrinal authority.