1 John 3:4-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 3:4-10

The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill his own mouth and the believer's mind with multiplied arguments against sin, and all communion with the impure unfruitful works of darkness. And so he reasons and argues, I. From the nature of sin and the intrinsic evil of it. It is a contrariety to the divine law: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also (or even)... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 3:3-8

3:3-8 Anyone who rests this hope on him purifies himself as he is pure. Anyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that he appeared that he might take away our sins and there is no sin in him. Anyone who abides in him does not sin. Anyone who sins has not seen him, and does not know him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who does sin is of the devil, because the devil is a sinner... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:4

Whosoever committeth sin ,.... This, in connection with what follows, is true of any sin, great or small, but here designs a course of sinning, a wilful, obstinate, persisting in sin: transgresseth also the law ; not of man, unless the law of men is founded on, and agrees with the law of God, for sometimes to transgress the laws of men is no sin, and to obey them would be criminal; but the law of God, and that not the ceremonial law, which was now abolished, and therefore to neglect it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:5

And ye know that he was manifested ,.... This is a truth of the Gospel the saints were well instructed in and acquainted with; that Jesus Christ, the Word and Son of God, who is here meant, who was with the Father, and lay in his bosom from all eternity, was in the fulness of time made manifest in the flesh, or human nature, by assuming it into union with his divine person; in which he came and dwelt among men, and became visible to them: the end of which manifestation was, to take away... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:6

Whosoever abideth in him ,.... As the branch in the vine, deriving all light, life, grace, holiness, wisdom, strength, joy, peace, and comfort from Christ; or dwells in him by faith, enjoys communion with him as a fruit of union to him; and stands fast in him, being rooted and grounded in him, and abides by him, his truths and ordinances, takes up his rest, and places his security in him, and perseveres through him: sinneth not ; not that he has no sin in him, or lives without sin, but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:7

Little children, let no man deceive you ,.... Neither by these doctrines, nor by wicked practices, drawing into the belief of the one, or into the performance of the other; suggesting, as the Gnostics did, that knowledge without practice was enough, and that it was no matter how a man lived, provided his notions of the Gospel were right: he that doeth righteousness, is righteous ; not that any man is made righteous by the works of the law, or by his obedience to the law of works, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:8

He that committeth sin is of the devil ,.... Not everyone that sins, or commits acts of sin, then every man is of the devil, because no man lives without the commission of sin; but he who makes sin his constant business, and the employment of his life, whose life is a continued series of sinning, he is of the devil; not as to origin and substance, or by proper generation, as some have literally understood the words; but by imitation, being like him, and so of him their father, doing his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:4

Sin is the transgression of the law - The spirit of the law as well as of the Gospel is, that "we should love God with all our powers, and our neighbor as ourselves." All disobedience is contrary to love; therefore sin is the transgression of the law, whether the act refers immediately to God or to our neighbor. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:5

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins - He came into the world to destroy the power, pardon the guilt, and cleanse from the pollution of sin. This was the very design of his manifestation in the flesh. He was born, suffered, and died for this very purpose; and can it be supposed that he either cannot or will not accomplish the object of his own coming? In him is no sin - And therefore he is properly qualified to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of men. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:6

Whosoever abideth in him - By faith, love, and obedience. Sinneth not - Because his heart is purified by faith, and he is a worker together with God, and consequently does not receive the grace of God in vain. See on 1 John 3:3 ; (note). Hath not seen him - It is no unusual thing with this apostle, both in his gospel and in his epistles, to put occasionally the past for the present, and the present for the past tense. It is very likely that here he puts, after the manner of the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 3:4-10

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 3:3-8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:6

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