1 John 3:9 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁹ No one who has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God continues to live a sinful life, because God’s seed [i.e., His word, See Luke 8:11] continues to live in his heart, so he cannot [continue a life of] sin, because he has been conceived by God.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁹ 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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁹ No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁹ Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.

Common English Bible

⁹ Those born from God don’t practice sin because God’s DNA remains in them. They can’t sin because they are born from God.

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁹ All those who have been born of God do not commit sin. For the offspring of God abides in them, and he is not able to sin, because he was born of God.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁹ Whosoever is born of God, committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him, and he can not sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 3:9 Cross References

Matthew 7:18

A healthy tree cannot produce bad fruit and neither can a diseased tree produce wholesome fruit.

John 1:13

[Such people] were born of God, not of blood ties [i.e., from physical descendants], nor of the will of the flesh [i.e., merely from a sexual desire], nor of the will of man [i.e., from a husband’s desire for offspring].

John 3:3

Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I tell you, a person cannot see the kingdom of God [i.e., enter it. See verse 5], unless he is born from above.” [Note: The words “from above” are also used in verse 31, but in this place they could also mean “again,” or “anew” and refer to the source of a person’s second birth].

Acts 4:20

we cannot help but speak about the things we have seen and heard.”

Romans 6:2

Certainly not! How can we, who died to sin [i.e., stopped living under its power], go on living in it [i.e., practicing it] any longer?

Galatians 5:17

For what your body wants is in conflict with what the Holy Spirit wants [for you], and what the Holy Spirit wants conflicts with what your body wants, for these [two desires] are contrary to one another, so that you do not [always] do what you [really] want to.

Titus 1:2

[and provides] hope for never ending life. God, who cannot lie, promised this [life] before the beginning of time,

1 Peter 1:23

You have experienced new birth, not from seed that can decay, but from seed that cannot decay, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 John 2:29

If you know that Christ is [truly] righteous [verse 1], then you should also know that everyone who does what is right has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God [See 5:18].

1 John 3:6

No person who lives in [fellowship with] Christ will continue living a sinful life; the one who keeps on sinning [however], has not seen Him or known Him [as his personal Savior].

1 John 4:7

Loved ones, we should have love for one another, because love comes from [the very nature of] God, and every person who [continually] loves [others] has been [spiritually] conceived by God [See 2:29; 3:9], and knows [he is in fellowship with] God.

1 John 5:1

Every person who believes that Jesus is the Christ [i.e., God’s specially chosen one] has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God. And everyone who [continually] loves God, who did the conceiving, also [must continually] love the person whom God has [spiritually] conceived.

1 John 5:18

We know that every person who has been [spiritually] conceived by God [and eventually born] does not continue in [a life of] sin, but God’s only conceived One [i.e., His Son] keeps him [from continuing to sin], and the evil one [i.e., Satan] does not continue to touch him [i.e., continue to control his life].

1 John 5:4

For whoever [Note: The Greek says “whatever”] is [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God will overcome [the evil influence of] the world. And this is [how] that victory can be gained over the world: [It is through] our faith [in God].

3 John 1:11

Dear [friend], do not imitate what is evil, but [only] what is good. The person who does what is good is [a child] of God; the one who does evil has not seen God [spiritually].