Tree of Life Version
1 John 3:8
8The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Ben-Elohim appeared for this purpose—to destroy the works of the devil.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of 1 John 3:8
6No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who sins has seen Him or known Him. 7Children, let no one mislead you! The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Yeshua is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Ben-Elohim appeared for this purpose—to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one born of God practices sin, because God’s seed remains in him. He cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10It is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil by this—anyone who does not act righteously or love his brother is not of God.
Read all of 1 John 31 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 3:10It is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil by this—anyone who does not act righteously or love his brother is not of God.
- 1 John 5:19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
- Matthew 13:38and the field is the world. And the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one.
- John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks lies he is just being himself—for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- Ephesians 2:2At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the ruler of the domain of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience.
- 2 Peter 2:4For God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into Sheol. He put them in chains of gloomy darkness, to be held until the judgment.
- Jude 1:6And the angels—who did not keep their own position of authority but deserted their proper place—He has kept in everlasting shackles under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great Day.
- 1 John 3:5You know that Yeshua appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
- Genesis 3:15I will put animosity between you and the woman— between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.
- Isaiah 27:1In that day Adonai will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent with His fierce, great, strong sword, Leviathan the twisted serpent! He will slay the dragon in the sea.
- Mark 1:24“What have we to do with You, Yeshua of Natzeret? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are! You’re the Holy One of God!”
- Luke 10:18And Yeshua said to them, “I was watching satan fall like lightning from heaven.
- John 12:31Now is the judgment of this world! Now the prince of this world will be driven out!
- John 16:11and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
- Romans 16:20Now the God of shalom will soon crush satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Yeshua be with you.
- Colossians 2:15After disarming the principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in 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
In the dictionaries
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
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