1 John 1 (BHT-FTN)

“The Message concerning the Word of Life”

1 The message concerning the Word of life, who always existed,+ whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our own+ eyes, whom we have looked at and whom our own+ hands have touched—this we proclaim.+ 2 Indeed, the life appeared; we have seen him,+ and so as firsthand witnesses bring ᵖyou+ news+ about the source+ of the life of the coming age,+ who was with the Father and appeared to us. 3 What we have seen and heard we pass on likewise to you, so that you, too, may share in the very+ fellowship that we ourselves know.+ And this fellowship, moreover, that we ourselves enjoy,+ is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus the Messiah. 4 Indeed, these things we are writing so that we may all be filled with the greatest of joy.+

5 This is the message that we have received+ from him and declare to you: God is light,+ and there is in him no darkness+ at all. 6 If we claim to be in fellowship+ with him, and yet live+ in the darkness, we are lying and not living our lives in accordance with the truth.+ 7 If it is+ the light, however, in which we are living our lives, just as he himself+ is in the light, then it is+ close fellowship that we have with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, continually cleanses us from every sin.+ 8 If we claim that we are of sin not+ guilty,+ we are our own selves merely+ deceiving, and the truth is not in us.+ 9 If we are willing+ to confess our sins, however,+ God+ is indeed+ faithful+ and true to his good and merciful will,+ and so+ will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from every kind of wickedness.+ 10 If we say, “we aren’t guilty of sin,”+ we are making God+ out to be a liar,+ and his word does not dwell+ in us.+

+1:1Or That which was from the outset, or That which was from the beginning. Lit That which was from eternity. For a summary of the interpretation of ἀρχή ( archē) represented in the text, see NAC (1, 2, 3 Jn), 51-2. Cf also TDNT, 1:481; NCV.+1:1IT (see UBSHS [1 Jn], 11). Cf NCV, NLT.+1:1Cf ISV, NLT.+1:1Lit That which was from eternity/the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we saw and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life. ME (see ESS [1, 2, 3 Jn], 11; NAC [1, 2, 3 Jn], 51; UBSHS [1 Jn], 11; TDNT, 1:481). Cf NET, NCV, NIV, NLT, NRSV, TEV. The neuter gender is used in the relative clauses here, but the primary focus is the Word, ie, Christ himself. For other examples of the neuter being used for personal referents in John’s writings, see translation and notes at Jn 4:22, 6:37, and 17:10.+1:2Or it. The direct object is implied here from the context.+1:2Unless otherwise marked (through superscript—ˢyou), all second person pronouns are the in the second person plural.+1:2Lit and we testify and announce/bring news.+1:2Since Jesus/the Word is the one being referred to here, “life” here is metonymical for the source of life (cf translation and notes at Jn 1:4 and 5:26), referring to “what causes people to live eternally” ( UBSHS [1 Jn], 15). Cf NCV, NLT, and TEV here and at Jn 1:4 and 5:26.+1:2This is a more literal rendering of ζωὴν αἰώνιον ( zōēn aiōnion), which most English translations render as “eternal life.” See UBSHS (Jn), 88.+1:3κοινωνίαν ( koinōnian) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore an emphatic adjective has been used to give extra focus to this element.+1:3Lit may have fellowship with us. ME (see UBSHS [1 Jn], 17; translation and note at Jn 3:15). Cf TEV.+1:3Lit And the fellowship that is ours. ME (see UBSHS [1 Jn], 17). Cf TEV.+1:4Lit so that our joy may be made complete. ME (see translation and notes at Jn 15:11). ἡμῶν ( hēmōn) here is interpreted as an inclusive first person plural. This is reflected in the translation.+1:5Or heard. Cf BSL, 1 Jn 1:5, sv ἀκούω; L-N, 33.212.+1:5φῶς ( phōs) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and has therefore been italicized for extra focus and emphasis.+1:5σκοτία οὐδεμία ( skotia oudemia) is in a split focal position (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore italics have been used to give extra focus and emphasis to this element, which has also been placed in clause-final for extra focus.+1:6κοινωνίαν ( koinōnian) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and has therefore been italicized for extra focus and emphasis.+1:6Lit walk. ME (see L-N, 41.11). περιπατῶμεν ( peripatōmen) is in a DFE position (see BART Display), and has therefore been italicized for extra focus and emphasis.+1:6Lit not doing the truth. ME (see translation and notes at Jn 3:21).+1:7ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ( en tō phōti) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore a cleft-construction has been used to give this element extra focus and emphasis. δὲ ( de) has also been used as a spacer to the same end.+1:7αὐτός ( autos) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore an intensive pronoun has been used to give extra focus to this element (warranted also on semantic grounds; see, eg, BDAG, 152, sv).+1:7κοινωνίαν ( koinōnian) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore a cleft-construction and an adjective (drawn from the lexeme; see L-N, 34.5), have been used to give extra focus to this element.+1:7Or from all sin, or from every kind of sin.+1:8οὐκ ἔχομεν ( ouk echomen) is in a DFE position (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore inversion has been used to give extra focus to this element within the ME (see following note).+1:8Lit If we say that we do not have sin. ME (see translation and notes at Jn 9:41 and 15:22-24).+1:8πλανῶμεν ( planōmen) is in a DFE position (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore inversion and an adverb (cf NLT) have been used to give this element extra focus and emphasis.+1:8Cf Jn 3:16-21 and 9:35-41.+1:9The present subjunctive is interpreted as functioning voluntatively here (cf Jn 3:16-21 and 9:35-41; pride is the primary issue here). This is reflected in the translation.+1:9IT. A disjunctive/contrastive relationship with the preceding clause is implied here. Cf NCV, NET, TEV.+1:9Lit he.+1:9πιστός καὶ δίκαιος ( pistos kai dikaios) is in a split focal position (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore an adverb has been used to give extra focus to this element.+1:9Or trustworthy, or reliable.+1:9Lit and righteous/upright/just. ME(OTB) (see translation and notes at Mt 5:48; UBSHS [1 Jn], 31; v 2:12 below). Cf Ex 34:6-7.+1:9The ἵνα ( hina) clause is interpreted as signaling result. This is reflected in the translation. Cf NET, NIV.+1:9Or from all wickedness. Cf Rm 1; Ga 5:16-26; Eph 4:17-24; Col 3:5-8.+1:10Lit we have not sinned. The perfect tense is used here, and therefore “guilty of sin” has been used in translation to signal the ongoing effects at the time of the speaker. Cf HCSB.+1:10Lit him.+1:10ψεύστην ( pseustēn) is in P2 (see BART Display and LDGNT), and therefore italics have been used to give this element extra focus and emphasis.+1:10Here, εἰμί ( eimi) approximates μένω ( menō) (cf Jn 5:38, 15:7; 1 Jn 2:14) and ἐνοικέω ( enoikeō) (cf Col 3:16) in meaning. Cf also ANLEX, 131, sv εἰμί 4.+1:10Cf Jn 5:38, 15:7; Col 3:16; 1 Jn 2:14.