1 John 3:7 (GNV)

Passage

Litle children, let no man deceiue you: he that doeth righteousnes, is righteous, as hee is righteous.

Nearby Context

1 John 3:5 And ye knowe that hee was made manifest, that he might take away our sinnes, and in him is no sinne.

1 John 3:6 Whosoeuer abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoeuer sinneth, hath not seene him, neither hath knowen him.

1 John 3:7 Litle children, let no man deceiue you: he that doeth righteousnes, is righteous, as hee is righteous.

1 John 3:8 He that comitteth sinne, is of the deuil: for the deuill sinneth from the beginning: for this purpose was made manifest that Sonne of God, that he might loose the workes of the deuil.

1 John 3:9 Whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: for his seede remaineth in him, neither can hee sinne, because he is borne of God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "litle", "children", "deceiue", "doeth", and "righteousnes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "litle" and "children", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not whosoeuer..." into verse 8's "He that comitteth sinne is of the...", so "litle" and "children" 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 "litle" and "children" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.