Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.
- KJV Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
- BSB Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- NKJV Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
- NASB No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God.
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
Those born of God do not practice sin, because God's seed remains in them. The new birth produces a transformed life that cannot live in sin.
Overview
John teaches that regeneration brings a real change: God's 'seed', his life or word implanted by the Spirit, abides in the believer so that a life of ongoing sin becomes impossible for them. This describes the direction and pattern of a born-again life, not absolute sinlessness (compare 1:8). The new nature cannot coexist with habitual rebellion against God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Jn 5:18We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
- 1 Pet 1:23having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
- 1 Jn 5:1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
- John 1:13who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
- 1 Jn 2:29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
- Matt 7:18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
- John 3:3Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
- 1 Jn 5:4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
- Gal 5:17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
- Rom 6:2May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
- 1 Jn 4:7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.
- Acts 4:20for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”
- Titus 1:2in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
- Job 19:28If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me,
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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 3:9 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
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