1 John 3:4 kjv

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 3:4 nkjv

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 niv

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 esv

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 nlt

Everyone who sins is breaking God's law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.

1 John 3 verses

1 John 3 4 Meaning

This verse unequivocally defines sin as lawlessness, stating that anyone who practices sin also transgresses God's law. It establishes a direct and inseparable link between the act of sin and the violation of divine standards, emphasizing that all sin is a rebellion against God's revealed will.

1 John 3 4 Context

1 John chapter 3 discusses the distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil, focusing on their character and conduct. The preceding verses introduce God's immense love for believers, calling them children of God, and briefly touch upon their future glory in Christ. John's epistle addresses various errors prevalent among certain false teachers, often associated with proto-Gnosticism, who propagated wrong views concerning the person of Christ and the nature of salvation. These teachers sometimes denied the true humanity of Christ and, consequently, minimized the importance of moral conduct, claiming that spiritual enlightenment or a special knowledge allowed them to transcend conventional morality. Verse 4 directly counters such antinomian tendencies by unequivocally defining sin in relation to God's law, laying the groundwork for further discussion on righteousness versus sin as defining characteristics of true believers versus those of the world.

1 John 3 4 Word analysis

• "Whosoever committeth sin": (Greek: ho poiōn tēn hamartian)

  • ho poiōn: The definite article ho (the one who) with the present active participle poiōn (doing/making) indicates continuous, habitual action or a lifestyle. It speaks of someone practicing or doing sin as a consistent pattern, not just an isolated accidental stumble. This is significant because John distinguishes between a singular act of sin and a life defined by sin.
  • tēn hamartian: Hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is the general Greek term for sin, meaning "missing the mark," "falling short," or "error." In biblical contexts, it signifies a deviation from God's standard or will, a failure, fault, or offense against divine principles. It highlights the spiritual nature of sin, which is rooted in a failure to align with God's character and commands.

• "transgresseth also the law": (Greek: kai tēn anomian poiei)

  • kai: "also" or "and."
  • tēn anomian: Anomia (ἀνομία) literally means "lawlessness," "iniquity," or "disregard for the law." It's derived from a (negative particle, "without") and nomos (law). This term emphasizes a specific kind of sin: a willful opposition to or contempt for God's divine revelation and established order. It points to a conscious rebellion against or a rejection of God's moral governance.
  • poiei: Again, the verb "does" or "makes," reinforcing the active, volitional aspect of this transgression.

• "for sin is the transgression of the law": (Greek: kai hē hamartia estin hē anomia)

  • kai: "for" or "and," introducing a causal or explanatory statement.
  • hē hamartia estin hē anomia: This is a direct and absolute identification, "the sin is the lawlessness." John precisely equates the broader concept of "missing the mark" (hamartia) with the more specific and intentional concept of "lawlessness" (anomia). This clarifies that every failure to meet God's standard (sin) is fundamentally an act of breaking His divine law, whether written or naturally discerned. This statement acts as a definitive theological definition within John's broader argument against false teachings that separated faith from ethics. It underscores that God's moral demands are binding and that rebellion against them constitutes the essence of sin.

1 John 3 4 Bonus section

The profound implications of this verse extend beyond just definition. It combat antinomianism, which is the erroneous belief that since Christians are under grace and not law, the moral law has no binding authority over them. John clearly refutes this by showing that persistent lawlessness is contrary to the Christian life. The Holy Spirit empowers believers not to be lawless, but to conform to God's righteous standards. This verse emphasizes the need for a transformed heart that desires to obey God's will, viewing sin as a direct offense against God's loving governance.

1 John 3 4 Commentary

1 John 3:4 provides a concise yet profound biblical definition of sin: sin is lawlessness. By explicitly equating hamartia (the general term for sin, missing the mark) with anomia (lawlessness, contempt for God's law), John establishes that any act contrary to God's revealed will is an act of rebellion against His divine order. This definition serves as a direct challenge to anyone, including the false teachers of John's day, who might try to separate spiritual belief from ethical conduct, or who claimed an exemption from moral accountability based on special knowledge or grace.

The verse clarifies that to practice sin is to act as one without law, to disregard or actively defy God's established commands and standards. True children of God, having been born of Him and knowing His righteousness, cannot consistently and habitually live in defiance of His moral will. While they may still commit individual acts of sin (1 Jn 2:1), a continuous life of lawlessness is fundamentally at odds with the nature of someone transformed by Christ. The verse underscores God's holiness and His expectation of conformity to His will from those who claim to be His. It highlights that sin is not merely a social error or a psychological problem, but a profound theological reality: a breaking of divine law.