1 John 3:6
The James Method Verse Mapping
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1 John 3:6 (NIV, 1984 version):
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Here’s the concept map I created for these verses:
Here is an image of my verse map for 1 John 3:6. I will also type out what I have written for easier reading.
Keep in mind that a lot of my writing is shorthand or bullet points rather than complete thoughts or sentences due to limited space in the journal. That shorthand is reflected in the content I have typed out.
1 John 3:6 (NIV 1984)
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Translations (key differences bolded)
KJV: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
NKJV: Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
NLT: Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.
HNV: Whoever remains in him doesn't sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him.
ESV: No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
NET: Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.
NASB: No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him.
BBE: Anyone who is in him does no sin; anyone who is a sinner has not seen him and has no knowledge of him.
Context
Author: John
Date: Between 85-90 AD, from Ephesus
Audience: Gentile Christians, all believers everywhere
Purpose: Distinguish between those who follow God and those who don’t
Key Words
I’m studying Greek, so I’ve included the Greek terms for each key word.
Lives
Greek:
Definition: remain, abide, to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure
Sinning/Sin
Greek:
Definition: to miss the mark, to err, be mistaken, to wander from the path of unrighteousness and honor, to violate God’s law
Seen
Greek:
Definition: to see with the eyes, to see with the mind, perceive, know
Known
Greek:
Definition: to learn to know, understand, perceive
Him
Greek:
Definition: specifically referring to Jesus/God here
Cross References
John 15:4-7: 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
“Remain in me” - Jesus is the vine and we are branches.
1 John 2:4: Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
If we say we know God but don’t follow his commands, we are a liar.
1 John 3:9: No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
If we are born of God, we will not keep on sinning.
1 John 4:8: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
If we don’t love, we don’t know God.
Romans 6:1-2: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
We died to sin and can live in it no longer.
3 John 1:11: Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
John 14:19: Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
The world will not see Jesus but his disciples will.
John 14:16-17: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The world has not seen or known the Holy Spirit.
View of God
God can be seen and he can be known, but sometimes people choose to not see or know him. God is the source of life, and the only way we have life is if we live or remain in him.
View of Man/Self
There are two types of people—1) those who remain in Christ and no longer sin, 2) those who have never seen or known Christ and thus continue to live in sin.
Reflection and Application
There is an inverse relationship between knowing Christ and sinning. The more we live in him or remain in him, the less we will sin. But those who don’t know Christ have no reason to resist sin. We can recognize those who are in Christ by how they live their lives. Will others be able to look at my life and recognize that I am a child of God? What sin do I need to recognize and get rid of in my life?
Prayer
Lord, sin is so pervasive in our world. So many people even celebrate and flaunt their sin for everyone to see. It’s so obvious that they have not really ever seen or known you, because if they did, they would turn from their sin. Lord, reveal yourself to them so that they too can see you for who you are and turn from their sin. Help me, too, Lord, to know you deeply so that I turn from my own sin.