Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;
- BSB Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
- NKJV Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
- NASB Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
- NLT Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.
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
When our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God. A clear conscience brings boldness in his presence.
Overview
The flip side of the previous verses: when our conscience is at peace, we can approach God with boldness. This confidence is not self-righteousness but assurance born of genuine faith and love. It opens the way to confident prayer, described in the following verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Jn 2:28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
- Heb 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
- 2 Cor 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
- Ps 101:2I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
- Ps 7:3–5O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
- 1 Jn 5:14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
- Heb 10:22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Job 22:26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
- 1 Jn 4:17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
- 1 Cor 4:4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
- Job 27:6My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
- 1 Tim 2:8I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
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 3:21 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.