John’s first letter applies John’s testimony about Jesus Christ to the lives of believers. Because Jesus Christ came to offer eternal life, we can know by our experience and behavior that we have eternal life. Because Jesus came to reveal the Father, we can be confident in our relationship with the Father. Because Jesus gives the Spirit to each one who is born again, we can live daily in the Sp…
1Lo que era desde el principio, lo que hemos oído, lo que hemos visto con nuestros ojos, lo que hemos contemplado, y palparon nuestras manos tocante al Verbo de vida
2(porque la vida fue manifestada, y la hemos visto, y testificamos, y os anunciamos la vida eterna, la cual estaba con el Padre, y se nos manifestó);
3lo que hemos visto y oído, eso os anunciamos, para que también vosotros tengáis comunión con nosotros; y nuestra comunión verdaderamente es con el Padre, y con su Hijo Jesucristo.
4Estas cosas os escribimos, para que vuestro gozo sea cumplido.
5Este es el mensaje que hemos oído de él, y os anunciamos: Dios es luz, y no hay ningunas tinieblas en él.
6Si decimos que tenemos comunión con él, y andamos en tinieblas, mentimos, y no practicamos la verdad;
7pero si andamos en luz, como él está en luz, tenemos comunión unos con otros, y la sangre de Jesucristo su Hijo nos limpia de todo pecado.
8Si decimos que no tenemos pecado, nos engañamos a nosotros mismos, y la verdad no está en nosotros.
9Si confesamos nuestros pecados, él es fiel y justo para perdonar nuestros pecados, y limpiarnos de toda maldad.
10Si decimos que no hemos pecado, le hacemos a él mentiroso, y su palabra no está en nosotros.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
I
Versículo 1
I. 1:1-4 This poetic prologue reflects the message of the prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1:1-18). •…
1:1-4 This poetic prologue reflects the message of the prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1:1-18). • The we that occurs throughout the prologue refers to John and the other apostles, and perhaps to other Christians who had seen and touched Jesus Christ. The apostles were among the eyewitnesses of Jesus and had personal fellowship with God through him. John, representing the apostles, now invites readers to join in that fellowship.
1:1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning: That is, from before time began, eternally (John 8:58). When Jesus came in the flesh (John 1:14), the apostles saw him . . . and touched him. This affirmation that they actually touched the Word of life is important because Gnosticism and Docetism (early Christian heresies) denied that Christ was truly a human being (see 1 Jn 4:2-3). Jesus, the Son of God, is the personal expression of the invisible God, and the giver of eternal life (John 1:1-4).
II
Versículo 2
II. 1:2 life itself (Greek zōē): Throughout the New Testament, this word is used to designate the ete…
1:2 life itself (Greek zōē): Throughout the New Testament, this word is used to designate the eternal life of God (e.g., Eph 4:18). This life resides in Christ, and he makes it available to all who believe in him. • This one . . . was revealed to us: Jesus, the Christ, was known to his apostles as a human being during his earthly ministry.
III
Versículo 3
III. 1:3 what we . . . have actually seen: The Word of life had, as a man, revealed God to the apostle…
1:3 what we . . . have actually seen: The Word of life had, as a man, revealed God to the apostles. • our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son: Once the Spirit regenerated the apostles, they entered into spiritual fellowship with the Father and the Son. • you may have fellowship with us: Whoever entered into fellowship with the apostles by associating with them while they were alive, or enters now by remaining in their teaching, has fellowship with the Father and the Son through them.
IV
Versículo 4
IV. 1:4 so that you may fully share our joy: The joy that the apostles have comes from their fellowsh…
1:4 so that you may fully share our joy: The joy that the apostles have comes from their fellowship with God the Father and the Son (1:3). Readers will share this joy when they enter into the same fellowship.
V
Versículo 5
V. 1:5–2:6 Here John focuses on the first aspect of living in fellowship with God. Living in the lig…
1:5–2:6 Here John focuses on the first aspect of living in fellowship with God. Living in the light means that the believers will see that they are sinners, but they will also realize that Jesus is their Advocate to make them right with God (see Eph 5:6-13).
1:5 God is light: This light shone through Jesus Christ to all he came in contact with, to expose their sin and to illumine the moral nature and character of God (see John 1:4-5, 9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46). In the writings of John, “light” represents God’s holiness and revelation. It is the opposite of false teaching and undisciplined living, which is “darkness” (1 Jn 1:6).
VI
Versículo 6
VI. 1:6 This is the first of several instances in which John challenges the claims of the Gnostics, w…
1:6 This is the first of several instances in which John challenges the claims of the Gnostics, who had broken away from the apostolic fellowship and were thus living in spiritual darkness. They claimed to have fellowship with God but did not express his character, which is light. Jesus had warned the Jewish leaders of his day not to let the light they thought they had be darkness (Matt 6:23)—their religious beliefs had blinded them to the spiritual illumination they could have received from Christ. In like manner, these Gnostic teachers thought they were enlightened but were actually darkened by their so-called illuminations. They claimed to have spiritual experiences from God, yet they rejected fellowship with the ones who had actually seen God in the flesh, namely, John and the other apostles.
VII
Versículo 7
VII. 1:7 Believers have fellowship with each other and with God as they live in the light. People cann…
1:7 Believers have fellowship with each other and with God as they live in the light. People cannot say they commune with God and then refuse to have fellowship with God’s people. This was the case with the Gnostics. The apostles of Christ had known Jesus Christ as God-in-the-flesh and were continuing to have spiritual fellowship with him (1:3).
VIII
Versículo 8
VIII. 1:8 If we claim we have no sin: This is the second false claim of the Gnostics (see 1:6). They cl…
1:8 If we claim we have no sin: This is the second false claim of the Gnostics (see 1:6). They claimed that they were or could be sinless since Christ had abolished their sins once and for all—their higher knowledge would lift them above the realm of sin. But Christians do still sin when they live in their old nature (see Rom 7:14-25). The true Christian both acknowledges this sin (1 Jn 1:9) and trusts in Christ to take it away.
IX
Versículo 9
IX. 1:9 To maintain continual fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins to him. Forgiveness an…
1:9 To maintain continual fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins to him. Forgiveness and cleansing are guaranteed because God is faithful to his promises and because he acts on the basis of his justice. Christ’s death for our sins fulfills God’s justice and acquits us of our guilt.
X
Versículo 10
X. 1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar: God’s word emphasizes the permeat…
1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar: God’s word emphasizes the permeating and penetrating nature of sin (see study note on 1:8).
Nuevo Testamento
1 John — Capítulo 1
John’s first letter applies John’s testimony about Jesus Christ to the lives of believers. Because Jesus Christ came to offer eternal life, we can know by our experience and behavior that we have eternal life. Because Jesus came to reveal the Father, we can be confident in our relationship with the Father. Because Jesus gives the Spirit to each one who is born again, we can live daily in the Sp…
Texto — Reina-Valera 1960
1Lo que era desde el principio, lo que hemos oído, lo que hemos visto con nuestros ojos, lo que hemos contemplado, y palparon nuestras manos tocante al Verbo de vida
2(porque la vida fue manifestada, y la hemos visto, y testificamos, y os anunciamos la vida eterna, la cual estaba con el Padre, y se nos manifestó);
3lo que hemos visto y oído, eso os anunciamos, para que también vosotros tengáis comunión con nosotros; y nuestra comunión verdaderamente es con el Padre, y con su Hijo Jesucristo.
4Estas cosas os escribimos, para que vuestro gozo sea cumplido.
5Este es el mensaje que hemos oído de él, y os anunciamos: Dios es luz, y no hay ningunas tinieblas en él.
6Si decimos que tenemos comunión con él, y andamos en tinieblas, mentimos, y no practicamos la verdad;
7pero si andamos en luz, como él está en luz, tenemos comunión unos con otros, y la sangre de Jesucristo su Hijo nos limpia de todo pecado.
8Si decimos que no tenemos pecado, nos engañamos a nosotros mismos, y la verdad no está en nosotros.
9Si confesamos nuestros pecados, él es fiel y justo para perdonar nuestros pecados, y limpiarnos de toda maldad.
10Si decimos que no hemos pecado, le hacemos a él mentiroso, y su palabra no está en nosotros.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
Versículo 1
I. 1:1-4 This poetic prologue reflects the message of the prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1:1-18). •…
Versículo 2
II. 1:2 life itself (Greek zōē): Throughout the New Testament, this word is used to designate the ete…
Versículo 3
III. 1:3 what we . . . have actually seen: The Word of life had, as a man, revealed God to the apostle…
Versículo 4
IV. 1:4 so that you may fully share our joy: The joy that the apostles have comes from their fellowsh…
Versículo 5
V. 1:5–2:6 Here John focuses on the first aspect of living in fellowship with God. Living in the lig…
Versículo 6
VI. 1:6 This is the first of several instances in which John challenges the claims of the Gnostics, w…
Versículo 7
VII. 1:7 Believers have fellowship with each other and with God as they live in the light. People cann…
Versículo 8
VIII. 1:8 If we claim we have no sin: This is the second false claim of the Gnostics (see 1:6). They cl…
Versículo 9
IX. 1:9 To maintain continual fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins to him. Forgiveness an…
Versículo 10
X. 1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar: God’s word emphasizes the permeat…