1 John 1:9

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse 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.

Context of 1 John 1:9

7But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. 8If we say, “We aren’t sinful” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. 10If we say, “We have never sinned,” we turn God into a liar and his Word is not in us.

1 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 sins and the sins of their ancestors—the treacherous things they did to oppose me—
• 1 Kings 8:47If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they’ve done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,’
• 2 Chronicles 6:37If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they’ve done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,’
• Nehemiah 1:6Open your eyes, and pay close attention with your ears to what I, your servant, am praying. I am praying to you day and night about your servants the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against you as well as the sins that my father’s family and I have committed.
• Nehemiah 9:2Those who were descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins as well as the wicked things their ancestors had done.
• Job 33:27Each one sings in front of other people and says, ‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.
• Psalms 32:5I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O Lord. Then you forgave all my sins. Selah
• Psalms 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin.
• Proverbs 28:13Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper. Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion.
• Daniel 9:4I prayed to the Lord my God. I confessed and said, “Lord, you are great and deserve respect as the only God. You keep your promise and show mercy to those who love you and obey your commandments.
• Matthew 3:6As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
• Mark 1:5All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
• Acts 19:18Many believers openly admitted their involvement with magical spells and told all the details.
• Deuteronomy 7:9Keep in mind that the Lord your God is ⌞the only⌟ God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands.
• Lamentations 3:23It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great.
• 1 Corinthians 1:9God faithfully keeps his promises. He called you to be partners with 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

• Ablution
• Blessing
• Cleanliness
• God
• God Continued...
• Penitent
• Repentance
• Righteous
• Sanctification
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Atonement
• Deceive
• Fellowship
• Forgiveness of sin
• Light
• Unction
• Walk
• Cleanse
• Confession
• Johannine Theology

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