1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
KJV
ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας.
Greek NT
Si confiteamur peccata nostra : fidelis est, et justus, ut remittat nobis peccata nostra, et emundet nos ab omni iniquitate.
Vulgate
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
ASV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.
Douay-Rheims
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In the original Greek
15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.
Themes
Historic Christian voices
12 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.
§827"Christ, 'holy, innocent, and undefiled,' knew nothing of sin, but came only to expiate the sins of the people. the Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal."299 All members of the Church, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners.300 In everyone, the…
What is Confession? Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. What sins should we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as w…
36. Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters. 37. Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters. 43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does…
Sanctification begins the moment we are justified. It gradually increases from that time. But there is likewise an instantaneous change, wrought by the Spirit of God, in which the heart is cleansed from all sin and filled with pure love to God and man. This is what I call entire sanctification, or Christian perfection.
Hence daily sins of weakness arise, and blemishes cling to even the best works of God's people, giving them continual cause to humble themselves before God, to flee for refuge to Christ crucified, to put the flesh to death more and more by the Spirit of supplication and by holy exercises of godliness, and to press on toward the goal of perfection.
The preaching of repentance is joined with the Gospel. For so the Lord said in the Gospel: "Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations." By repentance we understand the knowledge of one's sin, true sorrow for sin, and the earnest endeavor henceforth to serve God and follow his commandments. True repentance does not flow from what is to be s…
Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification: after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend our lives.
Luther retains private confession and absolution as a precious gift, not to be abandoned. However, he rejects the requirement of enumerating all sins, which is impossible and turns confession into a torment rather than a comfort. Absolution is the voice of the Gospel declaring God's forgiveness; it is not a priestly judicial act that depends on complete enumeration.
The forgiveness of sins.
Cross-references
- 1Cor 1:9 — God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 1Cor 6:11 — And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
- 1Cor 10:13 — There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to esca
- 1Cor 11:31 — For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
- 1John 1:7 — But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
- 1Kgs 8:47 — Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned,
- 1Pet 3:18 — For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
- 1Tim 1:15 — This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- 2Chr 6:37 — Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wick
- 2Chr 33:19 — His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold,
- 2Cor 7:1 — Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- 2Sam 24:10 — And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of t
- Acts 19:18 — And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
- Acts 26:18 — To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith t
- Col 1:14 — In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
- Dan 9:4 — And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
- Deut 7:9 — Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
- Deut 7:9 — Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
- Deut 30:2 — And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
- Eph 4:32 — And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
- Eph 5:26 — That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
- Exod 34:7 — Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s c
- Ezek 36:25 — Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
- Ezek 37:23 — Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein th
- Ezek 37:23 — Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein th
- Heb 6:10 — For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
- Heb 6:10 — For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
- Heb 10:23 — Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
- Heb 11:11 — Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
- Isa 11:5 — And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
- Isa 45:21 — Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a
- Jer 33:8 — And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
- Job 7:21 — And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
- Job 25:4 — How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
- Job 33:27 — He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
- Lam 3:23 — They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
- Lev 6:7 — And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
- Lev 26:40 — If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
- Mark 1:5 — And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Matt 3:6 — And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.