Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Other Translations of 1 John 1:8

King James Version

Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

English Standard Version

Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

The Message

Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense.

New King James Version

Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

New Living Translation

Sin, Its Reality and Remedy

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 John 1:8

Commentary on 1 John 1:5-10

(Read 1 John 1:5-10)

A message from the Lord Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal Word, we should all gladly receive. The great God should be represented to this dark world, as pure and perfect light. As this is the nature of God, his doctrines and precepts must be such. And as his perfect happiness cannot be separated from his perfect holiness, so our happiness will be in proportion to our being made holy. To walk in darkness, is to live and act against religion. God holds no heavenly fellowship or intercourse with unholy souls. There is no truth in their profession; their practice shows its folly and falsehood. The eternal Life, the eternal Son, put on flesh and blood, and died to wash us from our sins in his own blood, and procures for us the sacred influences by which sin is to be subdued more and more, till it is quite done away. While the necessity of a holy walk is insisted upon, as the effect and evidence of the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, the opposite error of self-righteous pride is guarded against with equal care. All who walk near to God, in holiness and righteousness, are sensible that their best days and duties are mixed with sin. God has given testimony to the sinfulness of the world, by providing a sufficient, effectual Sacrifice for sin, needed in all ages; and the sinfulness of believers themselves is shown, by requiring them continually to confess their sins, and to apply by faith to the blood of that Sacrifice. Let us plead guilty before God, be humble, and willing to know the worst of our case. Let us honestly confess all our sins in their full extent, relying wholly on his mercy and truth through the righteousness of Christ, for a free and full forgiveness, and our deliverance from the power and practice of sin.