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Listen to 1 John 1
The First Epistle General of John
11 He testifieth that he bringeth the eternal word, wherein is life, 5 and light. 9 God will be merciful unto the faithful, if groaning under the burden of their sins, they learn to flee unto his mercy.
1That [a]which was from the beginning, which we have [b]heard, which we have seen with these our eyes, which we have looked upon, and these hands of ours have handled of that [c]word of life,
2(For that life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and [d]show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was made manifest unto us.)
3That I say, which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, [e]that ye may also have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4And these things write I unto you, that your joy may be full.
5[f]This then is the message, which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God (A)is light, and in him is no darkness.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not truly.
7But if we walk in the [g]light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, [h]and the (B)blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8(C)[i] If we say that we have no sin, we [j]deceive ourselves, and [k]truth is not in us.
9[l]If we acknowledge our sins, he is [m]faithful and just, to [n]forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10[o]If we say, we have not sinned, we make him [p]a liar, and his [q]word is not in us.
Footnotes
- 1 John 1:1 He beginneth with the description of the person of Christ, whom he maketh one and not two: and him both God from everlasting (for he was with the Father from the beginning, and is that eternal life) and also made true man, whom John himself and his companions, both heard and beheld, and handled.
- 1 John 1:1 I heard him speak, I saw him myself with mine eyes, I handled with mine hands him that is very God, being made very man, and not I alone, but others also that were with me.
- 1 John 1:1 That same everlasting word, by whom all things are made, and in whom only there is life.
- 1 John 1:2 Being sent by him: and that doctrine is rightly said to be showed, for no man could so much as have thought of it, if it had not been thus showed.
- 1 John 1:3 The use of this doctrine is this, that all of us being coupled and joined together with Christ by faith, might become the Sons of God, in which thing only consisteth all happiness.
- 1 John 1:5 Now he entereth into a question, whereby we may understand that we are joined together with Christ, to wit, if we be governed with his light, which is perceived by the ordering of our life. And thus he reasoneth, God is in himself most pure light, therefore he agreeth with them, which are lightsome, but with them which are of the darksome he hath no fellowship.
- 1 John 1:7 God is said to be light of his own nature, and to be in light, that is to say, in that everlasting infinite blessedness: and we are said to walk in light, in that the beams of that light do shine unto us in the world.
- 1 John 1:7 A digression or going from the matter he is in with, to the remission of sins: for this our sanctification which walk in the light, is a testimony of our joining and knitting together, with Christ: but because this our light is very dark, we must needs obtain another benefit in Christ, to wit, that our sins may be forgiven us being sprinkled with his blood: and this in conclusion is the prop and stay of our salvation.
- 1 John 1:8 There is none but needeth this benefit, because there is none that is not a sinner.
- 1 John 1:8 This place doth fully refute that perfectness, and works of supererogation which the Papists dream of.
- 1 John 1:8 So then John speaketh not thus for modesty’s sake, as some say, but because it is so indeed.
- 1 John 1:9 Therefore the beginning of salvation is to acknowledge our wickedness, and to require pardon from him who freely forgiveth all sins, because he hath promised so to do, and he is faithful and just.
- 1 John 1:9 So then our salvation hangeth upon the free promise of God, who because he is faithful and just, will perform that which he hath promised.
- 1 John 1:9 Where are then our merits? for this is our true felicity.
- 1 John 1:10 A rehearsal of the former sentence: wherein he condemned all of sin without exception, insomuch that if any man persuade himself otherwise, he doth as much as in him lieth, make the word of God himself vain and to no purpose, yea he maketh God a liar, for to what end either in times past needed sacrifices or now Christ and the Gospel, if we be not sinners?
- 1 John 1:10 They do not only deceive themselves, but also are blasphemous against God.
- 1 John 1:10 His doctrine shall have no place in us, that is, in our hearts.
Cross references
- 1 John 1:5 : John 8:12
- 1 John 1:7 : Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 1:5
- 1 John 1:8 : 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chron. 6:36; Prov. 20:9
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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