1 John 3:6

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 3:6

Every one that abideth in Christ ipso facto sinneth not; for, if he sins, he ceases to abide in him. Just in so far as he abides, he does not sin. Or it may mean that be who abides in Christ cannot deliberately and habitually sin. But then would not St. John have written, "He that abideth in Christ abideth not in sin"? But the main difficulty is in the second half. In what sense is it true that every one that sinneth hath not seen Christ? In the main two explanations are given. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 3:6

Whosoever abideth in him - See 1 John 2:6. The word here employed (μένων menōn) properly means to remain, to continue, to abide. It is used of persons remaining or dwelling in a place, in the sense of abiding there permanently, or lodging there, and this is the common meaning of the word, Matthew 10:11; Matthew 26:38; Mark 6:10; Luke 1:56, “et saepe.” In the writings of John, however, it is quite a favorite word to denote the relation which one sustains to another, in the sense of being... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 3:6

1 John 3:6. Whosoever abideth in union and fellowship with him By loving faith; sinneth not Doth not commit known sin, while he so abideth: whosoever sinneth Transgresseth any known law of God; hath not seen him, neither known him His views and knowledge of him have been so superficial that they deserve not to be mentioned, since they have not conquered his love of sin, and the prevalence of it, and brought him to a holy temper and life. Or he has not attained to, or has not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:1-10

3:1-5:5 THE LIFE OF LOVERight behaviour for God’s children (3:1-10)John cannot find words to express his feelings when he considers the great love God has shown in making sinful people his children. They now think and act according to the nature of their heavenly Father, with the result that unbelievers, who think and act according to the world’s standards, cannot understand them (3:1). God’s children know little about the nature of life in the world to come, but they know at least that in some... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 3:6

abideth . Greek. meno. See p. 1511. sinneth . App-128 . seen . App-133 . neither . Greek. oude . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 3:6

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.From what John had already stated in 1 John 1, we know that he had no intention here of contradicting himself with any teaching to the effect any one having committed sin was in no sense a Christian. Many of the scholars assure us, based upon the Greek verbs used here, that "sinneth" in this context means "leads a life of sin."Abideth in him ... This is the key to the sinlessness of Christians, since... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 3:6

1 John 3:6. Whosoever abideth in him,— "Hence it plainly follows, that whoever abides in him by vital and influential union and communion with him, like a branchin the vine (John 15:5.), does not commit sin: he that sinneth, has no realizing view of him by faith: his views and knowledge of him have been so superficial, as that they deserve not to be mentioned, since they have not conquered the love and prevalence of sin, and brought the man to a holy temper and life." read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 3:6

6. He reasons from Christ's own entire separation from sin, that those in him must also be separate from it. abideth in him—as the branch in the vine, by vital union living by His life. sinneth not—In so far as he abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin. The ideal of the Christian. The life of sin and the life of God mutually exclude one another, just as darkness and light. In matter of fact, believers do fall into sins (1 John 1:8-10; 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:2); but all such sins are... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 3:6

If abiding in God equals being a Christian, as many interpreters believe, this verse appears to contradict what John wrote in 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10. There he said that Christians sin (cf. 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:15; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 3:18; 1 John 5:16; 1 John 5:21). It also seems to contradict personal experience since genuine Christians do indeed sin.The key to understanding this statement, I believe, lies in the other terms that John used in the verse: "abides," "has seen," and... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - 1 John 3:6

3:6 Whoever (b-1) whoever (b-8) Lit. 'every one that.' known (c-15) Ginosko . perfect tense; implying here the continuously present state of not seeing or knowing. read more

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