Devine Scripture

1 John 3:5

What does 1 John 3:5 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 John 3:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 John 3:5 means

Believers already know the heart of Christ’s mission: He was manifested to take away sins. The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus target sin’s guilt and power. John adds, “in him is no sin,” highlighting both His fitness as the sinless One and the standard for our lives. Christ is not a mere example; He is the Lamb who bears away sin, yet His purity also defines what a cleansed life looks like. To belong to Him is to be set in a sphere where sin is contradicted by His person and work. His appearing confronts our lawlessness with forgiving, transforming grace.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And you have knowledge that he came to take away sin: and in him there is no sin.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and ye have known that he was manifested that our sins he may take away, and sin is not in him;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And ye know that he has been manifested that he might take away our sins; and in him sin is not.

Context

This verse answers the gravity of verse 4 with the grace of Christ’s appearing. John grounds ethical exhortation in Christ’s redemptive purpose. What follows (verse 6) draws an inference: those who abide in this sin-removing Christ do not continue in sin as a settled pattern. The rhythm is theological: define sin (verse 4), declare Christ’s mission and sinlessness (verse 5), then apply it to the believer’s conduct. John is equipping the church, threatened by teachers who detach spirituality from moral change, to see that union with the sinless, sin-bearing Christ cannot leave one unchanged.

v.4Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

v.5This passage

v.6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 1:29

    On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!

  • Hebrews 9:26

    else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

  • 1 Timothy 1:15

    Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:

  • John 1:31

    And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.

  • John 14:30

    I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

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