1 John 1:4

1 John 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
• New International Version (NIV)We write this to make our joy complete.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Context of 1 John 1:4

2He showed himself clearly when he lived on this earth. From long ago he was together with God the Father, and he lives for ever. We saw him and we are telling you what is true. He is the one who has shown himself to us. 3We also want you to share this new life with us. We share this life with God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son. That is why we are telling you about everything that we have seen and heard. We are writing to you so that together we all may be completely happy. 5We are telling you the good news that Jesus Christ told to us. This is the message: God is completely good and clean. He is like light. There is nothing dark about him. 6Do you say that you share in the life that God gives? If you say that, but if you still live in the dark, you are telling a lie. You are not living in God's true way.

1 John 1:4 word by word

καὶ ταῦτα γράφομεν ἡμεῖς ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• write weγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• joyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• may beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• fullπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137

Cross-references for 1 John 1:4

• Isaiah 61:10I am very happy, because of what the Lord, my God, has done. I have so much joy! He has given salvation to me, like clothes that I can wear all the time. I have his righteousness as my coat! He makes me handsome, like a bridegroom who wears a priest's hat. He makes me beautiful, like a bride who wears her jewels.
• Habakkuk 3:17Whatever happens, I will continue to thank the Lord. If there are no flowers on the fig trees, if there are no grapes on the vines, if there are no olives on the olive trees, if there are no crops in the fields, if the sheep are dying in the hills, if there are no cows on the farms,
• John 15:11I want you to be completely happy, in the same way that I myself am happy. That is why I have told you these things.
• John 16:24Until now, you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask God, and you will receive what you ask for. Then you will be completely happy.
• 2 Corinthians 1:24We are not trying to tell you what you must believe, like masters would do. You are already strong in your spirits because you trust God. So we want to help you to be really happy.
• Ephesians 3:19Christ's love for us is so great that nobody can ever completely know it. As you understand this more and more, God's own nature will completely fill you.
• Philippians 1:25Yes, I am sure that you need me. For that reason, I know that I will continue to live among you. Then I will be able to help you to trust Christ even more. And that will make you even happier.
• 2 John 1:12I want to tell you many more things, but I do not want to write about them in a letter. Instead, I hope to come and visit you. Then I can see you and we can talk together. Then we will be completely happy.

Commentaries on 1 John 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That your joy may be full - Ye have already tasted that the Lord is good; but I am now going to show you the height of your Christian calling, that your happiness may be complete, being thoroughly cleansed from all sin, and filled with the fullness of God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And these things write we unto you - These things respecting him who was manifested in the flesh, and respecting the results which flow from that. That your joy may be full - This is almost the same language which the Saviour used when addressing his disciples as he was about to leave them, John 15:11; and there can be little doubt that John had that declaration in remembrance when he uttered this remark. See the notes at that passage. The sense here is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4so that our joy may be complete: The joy that the apostles have comes from their fellowship with God the Father and the Son (1:3). Those John is writing to will share this joy when they also enter into this close relationship with God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. these things--and none other, namely, this whole Epistle. write we unto you--Some oldest manuscripts omit "unto you," and emphasize "we." Thus the antithesis is between "we" (apostles and eye-witnesses) and "your." We write thus that your joy may be full. Other oldest manuscripts and versions read "OUR joy," namely, that our joy may be filled full by bringing you also into fellowship with the Father and Son. (Compare Joh 4:36, end; Php 2:2, "Fulfil ye…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 1:4

• Joy
• Testimony
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Deceive
• Fellowship
• Light
• Unction
• Walk
• John, the Epistles of
• John, the First Epistle General of

Commentaries on 1 John 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings