If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Parallel translations
- KJV If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- BSB If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be 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 that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- 1 Jn 5:10He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
- 1 Jn 2:4One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.
- Ps 130:3If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
- 2 Jn 1:2for the truth’s sake, which remains in us, and it 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 remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
- Job 24:25If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
- 1 Jn 4:4You are of God, little children, 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.