notes
Main point summary
John presents two arguments for sinlessness based Christ's first appearing: 1) Those who sin practice lawlessness and sin is lawlessness, but Christ appeared in order remove sin. Therefore no one abiding in Him sins. 2) Those who practice sin are of the devil and the devil has been sinning from the beginning, but Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Therefore those born of God do not sin. Because of this fact, it is easy to distinguish between the Children of God and the children of the devil.
Arc
editing
NT
1 John 3:4-10
na28
nasb
schl
Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ,
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness;
Ein jeder, der Sünde tut, übertritt das Gesetz,
καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία.
and a sin is lawlessness.
und die Sünde ist die Gesetzesübertretung.
series
καὶ οἴδατε ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη,
You know that He a appeared
Und ihr wisset, daß Er erschienen ist,
ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἄρῃ,
in order to b take away sins;
um die Sünden wegzunehmen;
actionpurpose
καὶ ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν.
and c in Him there is no sin.
und in ihm ist keine Sünde.
πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει•
No one who abides in Him a sins;
Wer in Ihm bleibt, sündigt nicht;
πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν.
no one who sins has seen Him or 1 b knows Him.
wer sündigt, hat Ihn nicht gesehen und nicht erkannt.
alternative
inference
Παιδία, μηδεὶς πλανάτω ὑμᾶς•
a Little children, make sure no one b deceives you;
Kindlein, niemand verführe euch!
ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην δίκαιός ἐστιν,
c the one who practices righteousness is righteous,
Wer die Gerechtigkeit übt, der ist gerecht,
καθὼς ἐκεῖνος δίκαιός ἐστιν•
just as He is righteous;
gleichwie Er gerecht ist.
comparison
ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν,
the one who practices sin is a of the devil;
Wer die Sünde tut, der ist vom Teufel;
ὅτι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ὁ διάβολος ἁμαρτάνει.
for the devil 1 has sinned from the beginning.
denn der Teufel sündigt von Anfang an.
ground
ideaexplanation
εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ,
b The Son of God c appeared for this purpose,
Dazu ist der Sohn Gottes erschienen,
ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου.
d to destroy the works of the devil.
daß er die Werke des Teufels zerstöre.
Πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἁμαρτίαν οὐ ποιεῖ,
No one who is 1 a born of God b practices sin,
Keiner, der aus Gott geboren ist, tut Sünde;
ὅτι σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει,
because His seed abides in him;
denn Sein Same bleibt in ihm,
καὶ οὐ δύναται ἁμαρτάνειν,
and he cannot sin,
und er kann nicht sündigen,
ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται.
because he is 1 born of God.
weil er aus Gott geboren ist.
ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου•
By this the a children of God and the b children of the devil are obvious:
Daran sind die Kinder Gottes und die Kinder des Teufels offenbar:
πᾶς ὁ μὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ,
1 anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God,
Wer nicht Gerechtigkeit übt, der ist nicht von Gott,
καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.
nor the one who c does not love his d brother.
ebenso wer seinen Bruder nicht liebt.
The logic here appears to be as follows: The one who is born of God has God's seed (i.e. life-giving nature) residing in him and thus cannot sin. This can also be seen as a chiasm: A. No one who is born of God B. practices sin, C. because His seed abides in him; B. and he cannot sin, A. because he is born of God.
First argument for sinlessness based on Christ's first appearing: Those who sin practice lawlessness and sin is lawlessness. Christ appeared in order remove sin. Therefore no one abiding in Him sins.
Second argument for sinlessness based on Christ's first appearing: Those who practice sin are of the devil. The devil has been sinning from the beginning. Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Therefore those born of God do not sin.
Because the first coming of Christ results in holiness in His children, it is easy to distinguish between the children of God and the children of the devil.
na28
discourse
Phrase
1 John 3:4-10
First Argument for Sinlessness Based on Christ's First Appearing
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness;
and sin is lawlessness.
You know that He appeared
in order to take away sins;
and in Him there is no sin.
No one who abides in Him sins;
no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
Second Argument for Sinlessness Based on Christ's First Appearing
Little children, make sure no one deceives you;
the one who practices righteousness is righteous,
just as He is righteous;
the one who practices sin is of the devil;
for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
The Son of God appeared for this purpose,
to destroy the works of the devil.
No one who is born of God practices sin,
because His seed abides in him;
and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God.
Distinction Between Children of God and Children of the Devil
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:
anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God,
nor the one who does not love his brother.
phrasing
Phrase Greek
1 John 3:4-10
na28
Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ,
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
Ein jeder, der Sünde tut, übertritt das Gesetz, und die Sünde ist die Gesetzesübertretung.
καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία.
καὶ οἴδατε
You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
Und ihr wisset, daß Er erschienen ist, um die Sünden wegzunehmen; und in ihm ist keine Sünde.
ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη,
ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἄρῃ,
καὶ ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν.
πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει•
No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
Wer in Ihm bleibt, sündigt nicht; wer sündigt, hat Ihn nicht gesehen und nicht erkannt.
πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν.
Παιδία, μηδεὶς πλανάτω ὑμᾶς•
Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;
Kindlein, niemand verführe euch! Wer die Gerechtigkeit übt, der ist gerecht, gleichwie Er gerecht ist. Wer die Sünde tut, der ist vom Teufel; denn der Teufel sündigt von Anfang an.
ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην δίκαιός ἐστιν,
καθὼς ἐκεῖνος δίκαιός ἐστιν•
ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν,
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
Dazu ist der Sohn Gottes erschienen, daß er die Werke des Teufels zerstöre.
ὅτι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ὁ διάβολος ἁμαρτάνει.
εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ,
ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου.
Πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἁμαρτίαν οὐ ποιεῖ,
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Keiner, der aus Gott geboren ist, tut Sünde; denn Sein Same bleibt in ihm, und er kann nicht sündigen, weil er aus Gott geboren ist.
ὅτι σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει,
καὶ οὐ δύναται ἁμαρτάνειν,
ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται.
ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου•
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
Daran sind die Kinder Gottes und die Kinder des Teufels offenbar: Wer nicht Gerechtigkeit übt, der ist nicht von Gott, ebenso wer seinen Bruder nicht liebt.
πᾶς ὁ μὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ,
καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.
Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία.
καὶ οἴδατε ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη, ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἄρῃ, καὶ ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν.
πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει• πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν.
Παιδία, μηδεὶς πλανάτω ὑμᾶς• ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην δίκαιός ἐστιν, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος δίκαιός ἐστιν•
ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν, ὅτι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ὁ διάβολος ἁμαρτάνει. εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου.
Πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἁμαρτίαν οὐ ποιεῖ, ὅτι σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει, καὶ οὐ δύναται ἁμαρτάνειν, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται.
ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου• πᾶς ὁ μὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.
Diagram
scripturetext
components
1 John 3:4-10
na28
rocketship
solid
equal
line
pred
cword
drop
vertical
subjectverb
ὁ
Πᾶς
revrocket
ποιεῖ
καὶ
participle
pstack
ποιῶν
directobject
τὴν
ἁμαρτίαν
τὴν
ἀνομίαν
ἡ
ἁμαρτία
ἐστὶν
predicate
ἡ
ἀνομία
καὶ
text
v4a
v4b
table
καὶ
οἴδατε
shelf
ἐκεῖνος
ἐφανερώθη
obtuse
ἄρῃ
τὰς
ἁμαρτίας
ἵνα
ὅτι
ἔστιν
οὐκ
ἁμαρτία
prepphrase
ἐν
αὐτῷ
καὶ
v5a
v5b
v5c
v5d
ὁ
πᾶς
ἁμαρτάνει
οὐχ
μένων
ἐν
αὐτῷ
v6a
ὁ
πᾶς
ἑώρακεν
οὐχ
ἔγνωκεν
αὐτὸν
αὐτόν
οὐδὲ
ἁμαρτάνων
v6b
Παιδία
μηδεὶς
πλανάτω
ὑμᾶς
ὁ
ἐστιν
δίκαιός
ποιῶν
τὴν
δικαιοσύνην
ἐκεῖνος
ἐστιν
δίκαιός
καθὼς
v7a
v7b
v7c
ὁ
ἐστίν
ποιῶν
τὴν
ἁμαρτίαν
ἐκ
τοῦ
διαβόλου
ὁ
διάβολος
ἁμαρτάνει
ἀπʼ
ἀρχῆς
ὅτι
ὁ
υἱὸς
ἐφανερώθη
τοῦ
θεοῦ
εἰς
τοῦτο
λύσῃ
τὰ
ἔργα
τοῦ
διαβόλου
ἵνα
v8a
v8b
v8c
v8d
ὁ
Πᾶς
ποιεῖ
οὐ
γεγεννημένος
ἐκ
τοῦ
θεοῦ
ἁμαρτίαν
σπέρμα
μένει
αὐτοῦ
ἐν
αὐτῷ
ὅτι
δύναται
οὐ
infinitive
ἁμαρτάνειν
γεγέννηται
ἐκ
τοῦ
θεοῦ
ὅτι
καὶ
v9a
v9b
v9c
v9d
ἐστιν
ἐν
τούτῳ
φανερά
τὰ
τέκνα
τὰ
τέκνα
τοῦ
θεοῦ
τοῦ
διαβόλου
καὶ
ὁ
[ἔστιν]
ἀγαπῶν
μὴ
τὸν
ἀδελφὸν
αὐτοῦ
[ἐκ
τοῦ
θεοῦ]
ὁ
πᾶς
ἔστιν
οὐκ
ἐκ
τοῦ
θεοῦ
ποιῶν
μὴ
δικαιοσύνην
καὶ
v10a
v10b
v10c
" And in him there is no sin is not dependent on you know . It is, therefore, to be rendered as a new, independent sentence." UBS New Testament Handbooks
diagram
Notes
An overview of the interpretations of 1 John 3:6 from R. L. Thomas ( Thomas, R. L. Exegetical Digest of 1 John , 253-61) quoted from Daniel L. Akin. (2001). The New American Commentary. Volume 38 1, 2, 3, John . Broadman & Holman Publishers: Thomas surveys nine possible interpretations and states both the pros and the cons of each view before offering his own interpretation. (1) The perfectionist view: the Christian does not commit acts of sin. (2) The limited view of sin: the Christian does not commit certain sins. (3) The Christian does not sin because what is sin in the life of the unbeliever is not so regarded by God in a believer. (4) The Christian does not sin in his new nature. (5) John is describing the theoretical or ideal and not reality. The ideal is, to a limited extent, true. (6) John is expressing himself by using exaggeration in this extremely controversial issue. (7) The Christian does not commit willful and deliberate sin. (8) The Christian does not commit habitual and consistent sin. Sin does not characterize his life. (9) The Christian who abides in Christ does not commit sin. When (or if) he sins, he is not abiding in Christ. In his conclusion Thomas offers a somewhat unique interpretation adapted from A. T. Robertson. It is the identification of the present tense of ἁμαρτάνει as a “progressive present.” Simply put, this use depicts past action still in progress at the present time. In other words, John is saying “that an unbroken state of sinful behavior from the past into the present and continuing in the present, such as characterizes the children of the devil (cf. 3:10), is impossible for the one who has been begotten by God”.