1 John 3:5 (DRB)

Passage

And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.

Nearby Context

1 John 3:3 And every one that hath this hope in him sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity. And sin is iniquity.

1 John 3:5 And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.

1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him.

1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "appeared", "take", "away", and "sins". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "appeared" and "take", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity And..." into verse 6's "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and...", so "appeared" and "take" belong inside that flow. In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "appeared" and "take" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.