Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 28th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New Living Translation

1 John 1:9

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ablution;   Blessing;   Cleanliness;   God;   God Continued...;   Penitent;   Repentance;   Righteous;   Sanctification;   Sin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Confession of Sin;   Forgiveness;   Pardon;   Promises, Divine;   Salvation-Condemnation;   Sin;   Sinners;   The Topic Concordance - Cleanness;   Confession;   Forgiveness;   Sin;   Word of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Confession of Sin;   Faithfulness of God, the;   Justice of God, the;   Pardon;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Advocate;   Confession;   Forgiveness;   Jesus christ;   Justification;   Sin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Confess, Confession;   Death of Christ;   God;   John, Theology of;   Justice;   Offerings and Sacrifices;   Repentance;   Sanctification;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Contrite;   Pardon;   Prayer;   Presumption;   Resurrection of Christ;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Forgiveness of Sin;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Foot;   Leper;   Thieves;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Confession;   Faithful;   Guilt;   John, the Letters of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Confession;   Forgiveness;   John, Epistles of;   Law;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Atonement (2);   Confession;   Confession (of Christ);   Discipline;   Faithfulness;   Forgiveness;   Guilt (2);   Justice (2);   Justification;   Light and Darkness;   Man;   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sacrifice (2);   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Sin;   Sin (2);   Truth (2);   Unity;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Confession;   Faithful,;   Forgiveness;   Heifer, Red;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Forgiveness;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cleanse;   Confession;   Faithful;   Johannine Theology, the;   Justice;   Justification;   Unchangeable;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for December 9;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 23;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 11;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. We can trust God to do this. He always does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrong things we have done.
Revised Standard Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf we knowledge oure synnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeve vs oure synnes and to clense vs from all vnrightewesnes.
Hebrew Names Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
New American Standard Bible
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
New Century Version
But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.
Update Bible Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Webster's Bible Translation
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
World English Bible
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful, and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Weymouth's New Testament
If we confess our sins, He is so faithful and just that He forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If we knowlechen oure synnes, he is feithful and iust, that he foryyue to vs oure synnes, and clense vs from al wickidnesse.
English Revised Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Berean Standard Bible
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Contemporary English Version
But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
Amplified Bible
If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
American Standard Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Bible in Basic English
If we say openly that we have done wrong, he is upright and true to his word, giving us forgiveness of sins and making us clean from all evil.
Complete Jewish Bible
If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.
Darby Translation
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us [our] sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
International Standard Version
If we make it our habit to confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us those sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Psalm 32:5; 51:2; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:7;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Murdock Translation
But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our iniquity.
King James Version (1611)
If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.
New Life Bible
If we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our lives clean from all sin.
New Revised Standard
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
English Standard Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If we acknowledge our sinnes, he is faithfull and iust, to forgiue vs our sinnes, & to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes.
George Lamsa Translation
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If we are confessing our sins, faithful, is he and, righteous - that he should forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If we knowledge our sinnes, he is faythfull & iust to forgeue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from all vnryghteousnesse.
Good News Translation
But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.
Christian Standard Bible®
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
King James Version
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Lexham English Bible
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Literal Translation
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Young's Literal Translation
if we may confess our sins, stedfast He is and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from every unrighteousness;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf we knowlege oure synnes, he is faithfull and iust to forgeue vs oure synnes, & to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
if we confess our sins, as he is faithful and just, he will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all iniquity.
New English Translation
But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
New King James Version
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But if we admit our sins to God, he will do what he said he would and forgive us and pardon us of all wrongdoing.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Contextual Overview

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 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. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we confess: Leviticus 26:40-42, 1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37, 2 Chronicles 6:38, Nehemiah 1:6, Nehemiah 9:2-37, Job 33:27, Job 33:28, Psalms 32:5, Psalms 51:2-5, Proverbs 28:13, Daniel 9:4-20, Matthew 3:6, Mark 1:5, Acts 19:18

he is: Deuteronomy 7:9, Lamentations 3:23, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Timothy 1:15, Hebrews 10:23, Hebrews 11:11

just: Isaiah 45:21, Zechariah 9:9, Romans 3:26, Hebrews 6:10, Revelation 15:3

and to: 1 John 1:7, Psalms 19:12, Psalms 51:2, Jeremiah 33:8, Ezekiel 36:25, Ezekiel 37:23, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:26, Titus 2:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:21 - we saw Exodus 34:7 - forgiving Exodus 40:31 - washed Leviticus 3:2 - lay Leviticus 6:7 - make Deuteronomy 30:2 - return unto 2 Samuel 12:13 - The Lord 2 Samuel 24:10 - I have sinned 1 Chronicles 21:8 - I have sinned 2 Chronicles 33:19 - his prayer also Nehemiah 9:8 - righteous Job 7:21 - take away Job 25:4 - how can Psalms 116:5 - and righteous Psalms 143:1 - thy faithfulness Isaiah 11:5 - and faithfulness Isaiah 39:4 - All that Daniel 9:16 - according Micah 6:5 - know Matthew 12:31 - All Luke 22:57 - he denied Luke 23:41 - we indeed Acts 26:18 - that they Romans 6:13 - unrighteousness 1 Corinthians 10:13 - but 1 Corinthians 11:31 - General 2 Corinthians 7:1 - let Ephesians 4:32 - forgiving Colossians 1:14 - the 1 Peter 3:18 - the just 1 John 2:12 - your

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Genesis 1:5
God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth."
Genesis 1:8
God called the space "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.
Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear." And that is what happened.
Genesis 1:11
Then God said, "Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came." And that is what happened.
Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."
Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.
Job 26:7
God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If we confess our sins,.... Not to one other; for though it is our duty to confess our faults to our fellow creatures and fellow Christians which are committed against them, yet are under no obligation to confess such as are more immediately against God, and which lie between him and ourselves; or at least it is sufficient to confess and acknowledge in general what sinful creatures we are, without entering into particulars; for confession of sin is to be made to God, against whom it is committed, and who only can pardon: and a man that truly confesses his sin is one that the Spirit of God has convinced of it, and has shown him its exceeding sinfulness, and filled him with a godly sorrow for it, and given him repentance unto salvation, that needeth not to be repented of; and who, under such a sight and sense of sin, and concern for it, comes and acknowledges it before the Lord, humbly imploring, for Christ's sake, his pardoning grace and mercy; and such obtain it:

he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins: forgiveness of sin here intends not the act of forgiveness, as in God, proceeding upon the bloodshed and sacrifice of Christ, which is done at once, and includes all sin, past, present, and to come; but an application of pardoning grace to a poor sensible sinner, humbled under a sense of sin, and confessing it before the Lord; and confession of sin is not the cause or condition of pardon, nor of the manifestation of it, but is descriptive of the person, and points him out, to whom God will and does make known his forgiving love; for to whomsoever he grants repentance, he gives the remission of sin; in doing of which he is faithful to his word of promise; such as in Proverbs 28:13; "and just"; in being "true", as the Arabic version adds, to his word; and showing a proper regard to the blood and sacrifice of his Son; for his blood being shed, and hereby satisfaction made to the law and justice of God, it is a righteous thing in him to justify from sin, and forgive the sinner for whom Christ has shed his blood, and not impute it to him, or punish him for it; though the word here used may answer to the Hebrew word צדיק, which sometimes carries in it the notion and idea of mercy and beneficence; hence mercy to the poor is sometimes expressed by righteousness; and the righteous acts of God intend his mercies and benefits unto men; see Daniel 4:27; and so forgiveness of sin springs from the tender mercies of our God, and is both an act of justice and of mercy; of justice, with respect to the blood of Christ, and of pure grace and mercy to the pardoned sinner: the following clause,

and to cleanse us, from all unrighteousness, is but the same thing expressed in different words; for all unrighteousness is sin, and to cleanse from sin is to remove the guilt of it, by an application of the blood of Christ for pardon. The antecedent to the relative "he" in the text, is either God, who is light, and with whom the saints have fellowship; or his Son Jesus Christ, who is the nearest antecedent, and who, being truly God, has a power to forgive sin.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If 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 Psalms 51:0; Psalms 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 the forgiveness of sins is never an act of justice, but is an act of mercy. If it were an act of justice it could be demanded or enforced, and that is the same as to say that it is not forgiveness, for in that case there could have been no sin to be pardoned. But the word “just” is often used in a larger sense, as denoting upright, equitable, acting properly in the circumstances of the case, etc. Compare the notes at Matthew 1:19. Here the word may be used in one of the following senses:

  1. Either as referring to his general excellence of character, or his disposition to do what is proper; that is, he is one who will act in every way as becomes God; or,

(2)That he will be just in the sense that he will be true to his promises; or that, since he has promised to pardon sinners, he will be found faithfully to adhere to those engagements; or perhaps,

(3)That he will be just to his Son in the covenant of redemption, since, now that an atonement has been made by him, and a way has been opened through his sufferings by which God can consistently pardon, and with a view and an understanding that he might and would pardon, it would be an act of injustice to him if he did not pardon those who believe on him.

Viewed in either aspect, we may have the fullest assurance that God is ready to pardon us if we exercise true repentance and faith. No one can come to God without finding him ready to do all that is appropriate for a God to do in pardoning transgressors; no one who will not, in fact, receive forgiveness if he repents, and believes, and makes confession; no one who will not find that God is just to his Son in the covenant of redemption, in pardoning and saving all who put their trust in the merits of his sacrifice.

And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - By forgiving all that is past, treating us as if we were righteous, and ultimately by removing all the stains of guilt from the soul.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 John 1:9. If 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, Psalms 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 justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.

And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. — Not only to forgive the sin, but to purify the heart.

OBSERVE here, 1. Sin exists in the soul after two modes or forms: (1.) In guilt, which requires forgiveness or pardon. (2.) In pollution, which requires cleansing.

2. Guilt, to be forgiven, must be confessed; and pollution, to be cleansed, must be also confessed. In order to find mercy, a man must know and feel himself to be a sinner, that he may fervently apply to God for pardon; in order to get a clean heart, a man must know and feel its depravity, acknowledge and deplore it before God, in order to be fully sanctified.

3. Few are pardoned, because they do not feel and confess their sins; and few are sanctified or cleansed from all sin, because they do not feel and confess their own sore, and the plague of their hearts.

4. As the blood of Jesus Christ, the merit of his passion and death, applied by faith, purges the conscience from all dead works, so the same cleanses the heart from all unrighteousness.

5. As all unrighteousness is sin, so he that is cleansed from all unrighteousness is cleansed from all sin. To attempt to evade this, and plead for the continuance of sin in the heart through life, is ungrateful, wicked, and even blasphemous; for as he who says he has not sinned, 1 John 1:10, makes God a liar, who has declared the contrary through every part of his revelation; so he that says the blood of Christ either cannot or will not cleanse us from all sin in this life, gives also the lie to his Maker, who has declared the contrary, and thus shows that the word-the doctrine of God is not in him.

Reader, it is the birthright of every child of God to be cleansed from all sin, to keep himself unspotted from the world, and so to live as never more to offend his Maker. All things are possible to him that believeth; because all things are possible to the infinitely meritorious blood and energetic Spirit of the Lord Jesus. See the notes on the parallel passages in the margin; and particularly in St. John's gospel, John 1:0.


 
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