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 walk in the light as he himself 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 do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him 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 26:40However, when they confess their iniquity and their ancestors’ iniquity which they committed by trespassing against me, by which they also walked in hostility against me
• 1 Kings 8:47When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray; we have done evil.’
• 2 Chronicles 6:37When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray, we have done evil!’
• Nehemiah 1:6may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed against you – both I myself and my family have sinned.
• Nehemiah 9:2Those truly of Israelite descent separated from all the foreigners, standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.
• Job 33:27That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
• Psalms 32:5Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.” And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)
• Psalms 51:2Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!
• Proverbs 28:13The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
• Daniel 9:4I prayed to the lord my God, confessing in this way: “O Lord, great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments,
• Matthew 3:6and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
• Mark 1:5People from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
• Acts 19:18Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known.
• Deuteronomy 7:9So realize that the Lord your God is the true God, the faithful God who keeps covenant faithfully with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
• Lamentations 3:23They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!
• 1 Corinthians 1:9God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship 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