1 John 3.4

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: 1 John chapter: 3 verses: "4" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

Quoted in

1 John 3.4

Book: 1 John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"2. Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. 3. And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

"4. Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness."

"5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him." (1 John 3:2-6, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"2. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. 3. Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure."

"4. Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness."

"5. You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. 6. Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him." (1 John 3:2-6, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

"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." (1 John 3:2-6, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"2. beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is; 3. and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he is pure."

"4. Every one who is doing the sin, the lawlessness also he doth do, and the sin is the lawlessness,"

"5. and ye have known that he was manifested that our sins he may take away, and sin is not in him; 6. every one who is remaining in him doth not sin; every one who is sinning, hath not seen him, nor known him." (1 John 3:2-6, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: John the Apostle (traditionally)
Audience: Christian believers (countering proto-gnostic influences)
Location: Ephesus (composition)
Time period: composed c. AD 85-95

Theological reading

Key words

G0266 - hamartia, hamartia (Strong's G266). Also appears in: Matthew 1.21, Matthew 9.4-8, Matthew 12.31-32.
G3956 - pas, pas (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: Matthew 1, Matthew 2.1-6, Matthew 2.16.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.