1 John 1
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Common Questions About 1 John 1
What does John say about God being light in chapter 1?
1 John 1:5-7 describes God as light, in whom there is no darkness at all, and explains that walking in the light, as He is in the light, brings genuine fellowship with one another and cleansing from sin through Jesus's blood.
What does this chapter say about confessing sin?
1 John 1:8-9 explains that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Have a different question about this chapter? Ask the Bible Chat Bot below.
Questions to Think About
- John connects walking in the light with genuine honesty about sin rather than pretending it doesn't exist. Where might you be tempted to hide or minimize something rather than bringing it honestly into the light?
- This chapter offers a clear, confident promise of forgiveness for those who confess. How fully do you personally rest in that promise, rather than carrying lingering guilt over confessed sin?
Ask the Bible Chat Bot below if you'd like to talk through any of these.
