1 John 3:8

1 John 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Context of 1 John 3:8

6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

1 John 3:8 word by word

ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν, ὅτι ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ὁ διάβολος ἁμαρτάνει. εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that committethὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• He that committethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• sinnethἁμαρτάνωhamartanō · to sinG264
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• Forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• this purposeοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• was manifestedφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he might destroyλύωluō · to looseG3089
• the worksἔργονergon · workG2041

Cross-references for 1 John 3:8

• 1 John 3:10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
• 1 John 5:19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
• Matthew 13:38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,
• John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Ephesians 2:2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
• 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
• Jude 1:6And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
• 1 John 3:5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
• Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
• Isaiah 27:1In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword— his fierce, great and powerful sword— Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.
• Mark 1:24“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
• Luke 10:18He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
• John 12:31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
• John 16:11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
• Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
• Colossians 2:15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Commentaries on 1 John 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil - Hear this, also, ye who plead for Baal, and cannot bear the thought of that doctrine that states believers are to be saved from all sin in this life! He who committeth sin is a child of the devil, and shows that he has still the nature of the devil in him; for the devil sinneth from the beginning - he was the father of sin, brought sin into the world, and maintains sin in the world by living in the hearts of his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8He that committeth sin - Habitually, willfully, characteristically. Is of the devil - This cannot mean that no one who commits any sin, or who is not absolutely perfect, can be a Christian, for this would cut off the great mass, even according to the belief of those who hold that the Christian may be perfectly holy, from all claim to the Christian character. But what the apostle here says is true in two senses: (1)That all who commit sin, even true…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-10Verses 3-10 The sons of God know that their Lord is of purer eyes than to allow any thing unholy and impure to dwell with him. It is the hope of hypocrites, not of the sons of God, that makes allowance for gratifying impure desires and lusts. May we be followers of him as his dear children, thus show our sense of his unspeakable mercy, and express that obedient, grateful, humble mind which becomes us. Sin is the rejecting the Divine law. In him, that is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8destroy: This word does not mean “to destroy completely.” It means “to break down,” “to undo,” or “to make ineffective” (see Ephesians 2:14). Christ did not completely destroy Satan. Instead, he came to undo the works of the devil by freeing people from sin and from the terrible results of sin.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. The same truth stated, with the addition that he who sins is, so far as he sins, "of the devil." let no man deceive you--as Antinomians try to mislead men. righteousness--Greek, "the righteousness," namely, of Christ or God. he that doeth ... is righteous--Not his doing makes him righteous, but his being righteous (justified by the righteousness of God in Christ, Ro 10:3-10) makes him to do righteousness: an inversion common in familiar language…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 3:8

• Holiness
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Perfection
• Power
• Satan
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of God
• Appear
• Assure
• Condemn
• Pleasing
• Sin
• Word
• Begin

Commentaries on 1 John 3

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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