If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.
Parallel translations
- WEB If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- KJV If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- NKJV If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
- NASB If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
- NLT If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
To claim we have not sinned is to call God a liar and reject his word. Scripture testifies that all have sinned.
Overview
John's third false claim denies any actual sinning, which contradicts God's clear testimony about humanity. Such denial makes God 'a liar' and shows his word has no place within. The verse reinforces the necessity of honest confession and prepares for the assurance of Christ our Advocate in 2:1.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Jn 1:8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- 1 Jn 5:10Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.
- 1 Jn 2:4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- Ps 130:3If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand?
- 2 Jn 1:2because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
- 1 Jn 2:14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
- Job 24:25If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”
- 1 Jn 4:4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Jesus is the Word of life made manifest, the propitiation for our sins, the Son in whom is eternal life — 'that you may know that you have eternal life.'
How 1 John 1:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.