1 John · Chapter 1 · 10 verses
1 John 1
About this chapter
1 John 1 — Late Apostolic Era
John — Beloved apostle, eyewitness of Jesus, writing in his old age. Set in Ephesus and surrounding churches in Asia Minor. The last living apostle writes to churches being infiltrated by false teachers who claim Jesus wasn't fully human. John opens by declaring what he personally saw, heard, and touched—Jesus was absolutely real, and through Him we can have genuine fellowship with the God of light.
“1 John 1:9” — 1:9
An elderly eyewitness stakes everything on the reality of what he experienced with Jesus decades earlier.
Read when: Read this when guilt is overwhelming you and you need assurance that confession leads to complete forgiveness.
1That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life 2(and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); 3that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled. 5This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we haven't sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.