It is not for the sons of God, to sin mortally, but for the sons of the Devil, whereby they are known one from another, and not by only faith. 11 True faith it is, that we also love our brethren, giving both our life and substance for them. 19 Such unfeigned love may have great confidence before God. 23 because the keeping of his commandments doth much please him, which consist in faith and charity.It is not for the sonnes of God, to sinne mortally, but for the sonnes of the Diuel, wherby they are knowen one from an other, & not by onely faith. 11 True faith it is, that we also loue our brethren, giuing both our life and substance for them. 19 Such vnfained loue may haue great confidence before God. 23 because the keping of his commandements doth much please him, which consist in faith and charitie.✦
Behold what manner of charity the Father hath given us, that we should be named, and be the sons of God. For this cause the world doth not know us, because it hath not known him.BEhold what maner of charitie the Father hath giuen vs, that we should be named, and be the sonnes of God. For this cause the world doth not know vs, because it hath not knowen him.✦Videte qualem caritatem dedit nobis Pater, ut filii Dei nominemur et simus. Propter hoc mundus non novit nos : quia non novit eum.
2My dearest, now we are the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.My deerest, now we are the sonnes of God: & it hath not yet appeared what we shal be. We know that when he shal appeare, we shal be like to him: because we shal ᵉsee him as he is.✦Carissimi, nunc filii Dei sumus : et nondum apparuit quid erimus. Scimus quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus : quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est.
3And every one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.And euery one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth him self, as he also is holy.✦Et omnis qui habet hanc spem in eo, sanctificat se, sicut et ille sanctus est.
4Every one that committeth sin, committeth also iniquitas: a swerving from the law, lawlessness: not gross wickedness: and sin is iniquity.Euery one that committeth sinne, committeth also iniquitie: and sinne is iniquitie.¶Omnis qui facit peccatum, et iniquitatem facit : et peccatum est iniquitas.
5And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and sin in him there is none.And you know that he *appeared to take away our sinnes: and sinne in him there is none.✦Et scitis quia ille apparuit ut peccata nostra tolleret : et peccatum in eo non est.
6Every one that abideth in him, sinneth not: and every one that sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him.Euery one that abideth in him, sinneth not: and euery one that sinneth, hath not seen him, nor knowen him.¶Omnis qui in eo manet, non peccat : et omnis qui peccat, non vidit eum, nec cognovit eum.
7Little children, let no man seduce you. He that doeth justice, is just: even as he also is just.Litle children, let no man seduce you. He that doeth iustice, is iust: euen as he also is iust.¶✦Filioli, nemo vos seducat. Qui facit justitiam, justus est, sicut et ille justus est.
8He that committeth sin, is of the Devil: because the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this, appeared the Son of God, that he might dissolve the works of the Devil.He that committeth sinne, is of the Diuel: because the Diuel *sinneth from the beginning. For this, appeared the Sonne of God, that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuel.¶✦Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est : quoniam ab initio diabolus peccat. In hoc apparuit Filius Dei, ut dissolvat opera diaboli.
9Every one that is born of God, committeth not sin: because his seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.Euery one that is borne of God, committeth not sinne: because his seede abideth in him, and he can not sinne because he is borne of God.✦Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit : quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet, et non potest peccare, quoniam ex Deo natus est.
10In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the Devil. Every one that is not just, is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother.In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the Diuel. Euery one that is not iust, is not of God, and he that loueth not his brother.✦In hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei, et filii diaboli. Omnis qui non est justus, non est ex Deo, et qui non diligit fratrem suum :
11Because this is the annuntiatio: the message announced, the tidings proclaimed, which you have heard from the beginning, That you love one another.because this is the annuntiation, which you haue heard from the beginning, *That you loue one an other.✦quoniam hæc est annuntiatio, quam audistis ab initio, ut diligatis alterutrum.
12Not as Cain, who was of the wicked, and killed his brother. And for what cause killed he him? Because his works were wicked: but his brother's, just.Not as *Cain, who was of the wicked, and killed his brother. And for what cause killed he him? Because his workes were wicked: but his brothers, iust.✦Non sicut Cain, qui ex maligno erat, et occidit fratrem suum. Et propter quid occidit eum ? Quoniam opera ejus maligna erant : fratris autem ejus, justa.
13Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate you.Maruel not brethren, if the world hate you.✦Nolite mirari, fratres, si odit vos mundus.
14We know that we are translati: transferred, carried over from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death.We know that we are translated from death to life, because we loue the brethren. He that loueth not, abideth in death.✦Nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres. Qui non diligit, manet in morte :
15Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath life everlasting abiding in himself.Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in him self.✦omnis qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Et scitis quoniam omnis homicida non habet vitam æternam in semetipso manentem.
16In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath yielded his life for us: and we ought to yield our lives for the brethren.*In this we haue knowen the charitie of God, because he hath yelded his life for vs: and we ought to yeld our liues for the brethren.✦In hoc cognovimus caritatem Dei, quoniam ille animam suam pro nobis posuit : et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere.
17He that shall have the substantiam: worldly goods, wealth of the world, and shall see his brother have need, and shall shut his viscera: the inward affections, compassion from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?He that shal haue the substance of the world, and shal see his brother haue neede, and shal shut his bowels from him: how doth the charitie of God abide in him?✦Qui habuerit substantiam hujus mundi, et viderit fratrem suum necessitatem habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo : quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo ?
18My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and truth.My litle children, let vs not loue in word, nor in tongue, but in deede and truth.✦Filioli mei, non diligamus verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate :
19In this we know that we are of the truth: and in his sight we shall suadebimus: assure, give assurance to our hearts.In this we know that we are of the truth: and in his sight we shal persuade our hartes.✦in hoc cognoscimus quoniam ex veritate sumus : et in conspectu ejus suadebimus corda nostra.
20For if our heart do reprehenderit: rebuke, find fault with us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.For if our hart do reprehend vs, God is greater then our hart, and knoweth al thinges.✦Quoniam si reprehenderit nos cor nostrum : major est Deus corde nostro, et novit omnia.
21My dearest, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have fiduciam: boldness, assurance toward God.My deerest, if our hart do not reprehend vs, we haue confidence toward God.✦Carissimi, si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum :
22And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing before him.And *whatsoeuer we shal aske, we shal receiue of him: because we keepe his commaundements, and doe those thinges which are pleasing before him.¶✦et quidquid petierimus, accipiemus ab eo : quoniam mandata ejus custodimus, et ea, quæ sunt placita coram eo, facimus.
23And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.And *this is his commaundement, that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne IESVS Christ: and loue one an other, as he hath giuen commaundement vnto vs.✦Et hoc est mandatum ejus : ut credamus in nomine Filii ejus Jesu Christi : et diligamus alterutrum, sicut dedit mandatum nobis.
24And he that keepeth his commandments, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.And *he that keepeth his commaundements, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in vs, by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs.✦Et qui servat mandata ejus, in illo manet, et ipse in eo : et in hoc scimus quoniam manet in nobis, de Spiritu quem dedit nobis.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
4Sin is iniquity. Iniquity is not taken here for wickedness, as it is commonly used both in Latin and in our language, as is plain by the Greek word ἀνομία, signifying nothing else but a swarving or declining from the straight line of the law of God or nature. So that the Apostle meaneth, that every sin is an obliquity or defect from the rule of the law: but not contrary, that every such swarving from the law, should be properly a sin, as the Heretics do untruly gather, to prove that concupiscence remaining after Baptism is a very sin, though we never give our consent unto it. And though in the 5. chapter following vers. 17. the Apostle turn the speech, affirming every iniquity to be a sin, yet there the Greek word is not the same as before, ἀνομία, but ἀδικία. by which it is plain that there he meaneth by iniquity, man's actual and proper transgression which must needs be a sin. See S. Augustine cont. Julian. li. 5. c. 3. S. Ambrose li. de Apologia David c. 13.Sin is iniquity. Iniquity is not taken here for wickedness, as it is commonly used both in Latin and in our language, as is plain by the Greek word ἀνομία, signifying nothing else but a swarving or declining from the straight line of the law of God or nature. So that the Apostle meaneth, that every sin is an obliquity or defect from the rule of the law: but not contrary, that every such swarving from the law, should be properly a sin, as the Heretics do untruly gather, to prove that concupiscence remaining after Baptism is a very sin, though we never give our consent unto it. And though in the 5. chapter following vers. 17. the Apostle turn the speech, affirming every iniquity to be a sin, yet there the Greek word is not the same as before, ἀνομία, but ἀδικία. by which it is plain that there he meaneth by iniquity, man's actual and proper transgression which must needs be a sin. See S. Augustine cont. Julian. li. 5. c. 3. S. Ambrose li. de Apologia David c. 13.
6Sinneth not. Jovinian and Pelagius falsely (as Heretics use to do) argued upon these words, and those that follow vers. 9: the one, that the baptized could sin no more: the other, that no man being or remaining just could sin. But among many good senses given of this place, this seemeth most agreeable, that the Apostle should say, that mortal sin doth not consist together with the grace of God, and therefore cannot be committed by a man continuing the son of God. And so is the like speech in the 9. verse following to be taken. See S. Jerome li. 2. cont. Jovinianum c. 1.Sinneth not. Jovinian and Pelagius falsely (as Heretics use to do) argued upon these words, and those that follow vers. 9: the one, that the baptized could sin no more: the other, that no man being or remaining just could sin. But among many good senses given of this place, this seemeth most agreeable, that the Apostle should say, that mortal sin doth not consist together with the grace of God, and therefore cannot be committed by a man continuing the son of God. And so is the like speech in the 9. verse following to be taken. See S. Jerome li. 2. cont. Jovinianum c. 1.
7He that doeth justice. He doth inculcate this often, that man's true justice or righteousness consisteth in doing or working justice, and that so he is just, and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretics, in this point.He that doeth justice. He doth inculcate this often, that man's true justice or righteousness consisteth in doing or working justice, and that so he is just, and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretics, in this point.
8Sinneth from the beginning. The Devil was created holy and in grace, and not in sin: but he fell of his own free will from God. Therefore these words, from the beginning, may be interpreted thus, from the beginning of sin, and so the Apostle will say, The Devil committed the first sin. So S. Augustine li. 11 de civ. Dei c. 15. expoundeth it. The most simple meaning seemeth to be, that he sinned from the beginning of the world, not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation, but straight upon the beginning, as it must needs also be taken in S. John's Gospel c. 8. 44.Sinneth from the beginning. The Devil was created holy and in grace, and not in sin: but he fell of his own free will from God. Therefore these words, from the beginning, may be interpreted thus, from the beginning of sin, and so the Apostle will say, The Devil committed the first sin. So S. Augustine li. 11 de civ. Dei c. 15. expoundeth it. The most simple meaning seemeth to be, that he sinned from the beginning of the world, not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation, but straight upon the beginning, as it must needs also be taken in S. John's Gospel c. 8. 44.
22We shall receive, because. Let the Protestants be ashamed to say, that we obtain all of God by only faith, the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of God's commandments. Note here also that God's commandments are not impossible to be kept, but were then, and are now observed of good men.We shall receive, because. Let the Protestants be ashamed to say, that we obtain all of God by only faith, the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of God's commandments. Note here also that God's commandments are not impossible to be kept, but were then, and are now observed of good men.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.