English Standard Version
1 John 1:9
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- New International Version (NIV)If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Context of 1 John 1:9
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Read all of 1 John 11 John 1:9 word by word
ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- we confessὁμολογέωhomologeō · to confess/professG3670
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sinsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
- he isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- faithfulπιστόςpistos · faithfulG4103
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- justδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- forgiveἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: forgiveG863
- to cleanseκαθαρίζωkatharizō · to cleanG2511
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- unrighteousnessἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
Cross-references for 1 John 1:9
- Leviticus 26:40"But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,
- 1 Kings 8:47yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, 'We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,'
- 2 Chronicles 6:37yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,'
- Nehemiah 1:6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned.
- Nehemiah 9:2And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
- Job 33:27He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.
- Psalms 32:5I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
- Psalms 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
- Proverbs 28:13Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
- Daniel 9:4I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
- Matthew 3:6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Mark 1:5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Acts 19:18Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
- Deuteronomy 7:9Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
- Lamentations 3:23they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Commentaries on 1 John 1:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9If we confess our sins - If, from a deep sense of our guilt, impurity, and helplessness, we humble ourselves before God, acknowledging our iniquity, his holiness, and our own utter helplessness, and implore mercy for his sake who has died for us; he is faithful, because to such he has promised mercy, Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; and just, for Christ has died for us, and thus made an atonement to the Divine justice; so that God can now be just, and yet the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9If we confess our sins - Pardon in the Scriptures, always supposes that there is confession, and there is no promise that it will be imparted unless a full acknowledgment has been made. Compare Psalm 32:1-11;; Luke 15:18 ff; Luke 7:41 ff; Proverbs 28:13. He is faithful - To his promises. He will do what he has assured us he will do in remitting them. And just to forgive us our sins - The word “just” here cannot be used in a strict and proper sense, since…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 A message from the Lord Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal Word, we should all gladly receive. The great God should be represented to this dark world, as pure and perfect light. As this is the nature of God, his doctrines and precepts must be such. And as his perfect happiness cannot be separated from his perfect holiness, so our happiness will be in proportion to our being made holy. To walk in darkness, is to live and act against religion…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9To stay in continual fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins to him. God promises to forgive and cleanse us, and we can trust this promise because God is faithful and just. Christ died for our sins, and his death satisfies God’s justice and removes our guilt.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. confess--with the lips, speaking from a contrite heart; involving also confession to our fellow men of offenses committed against them. he--God. faithful--to His own promises; "true" to His word. just--Not merely the mercy, but the justice or righteousness of God is set forth in the redemption of the penitent believer in Christ. God's promises of mercy, to which He is faithful, are in accordance with His justice. to--Greek, "in order that." His…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 1:9
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries