1 John 1

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

AI-assisted, sourced

The writer declares what "we have heard... seen with our eyes... and our hands have handled, of the Word of life," so that the readers may have fellowship "with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." The message is "that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all": walking in darkness while claiming fellowship is a lie, but walking in the light brings fellowship, and "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Anyone who says "we have no sin" is deceived, but "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us." 1 John 1:1 1 John 1:3 1 John 1:5 1 John 1:6 1 John 1:7 1 John 1:8 1 John 1:9

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

A writer who speaks for eyewitnesses ("we have seen with our eyes"), writing to believers so "that your joy may be full." 1 John 1:1 1 John 1:4 1 John overview

Where

The letter does not name its writer or its place. Early tradition places John at Ephesus in his later years and links the letter with the churches of the province of Asia. 1 John overview

When

Traditionally about AD 85-95, late in the apostle John's life. Many scholars date it about AD 90-110 and credit it to a leader in the circle linked with John's Gospel; others hold that John wrote it. 1 John overview

How it fits

This chapter opens the letter with the eyewitness message and the call to walk in the light. Chapter 2 continues, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." 1 John 1:3 1 John 1:7 1 John 2:1 1 John overview

Key verses

Verse 5
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." In John 8:12 Jesus says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness." 1 John 1:5 John 8:12
Verse 7
"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." 1 John 1:7
Verse 9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Psalm 32:5 says, "I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." 1 John 1:8 1 John 1:9 Psalms 32:5

Takeaway

Walk in God's light, be honest about your sin, and confess it; God is faithful to forgive and cleanse. 1 John 1:7 1 John 1:8 1 John 1:9

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-10-30.

The Word of life we have seen

¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ²(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) ³That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Walking in the light

⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷But 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. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.