1 John 3:9

No one who is a child of God is habitually guilty of sin. A God-given germ of life remains in him, and he cannot habitually sin--because he is a child of God.

Weymouth NT (1912)

In The King James Version

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In Context

8He who is habitually guilty of sin is a child of the Devil, because the Devil has been a sinner from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for the purpose of undoing the work of the Devil.

10By this we can distinguish God's children and the Devil's children: no one who fails to act righteously is a child of God, nor he who does not love his brother man.

Read all of 1 John 3

Cross References

Matthew 7:18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a poisonous tree good fruit.

John 3:3"In most solemn truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "that unless a man is born anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God."

Romans 6:2No, indeed; how shall we who have died to sin, live in it any longer?

Titus 1:2in hope of the Life of the Ages which God, who is never false to His word, promised before the commencement of the Ages.

1 John 2:29Since you know that He is righteous, be assured also that the man who habitually acts righteously is a child of His.

Matthew Henry on 1 John 3:5-11

The Mark of God's Children. ( a. d. 80.) 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this… Read the whole commentary →

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