If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make a liar out of God, and his word is not in us.

You know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him.

So everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin; but whoever continues to sin has never seen him or known him.

"When your people sin against you---and there is no one who does not sin---and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away,

"When your people sin against you---and there is no one who does not sin---and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away,

(SEE 9:1)

Nothing clean can ever come from anything as unclean as human beings.

Can any human being be really pure? Can anyone be right with God?

Can anyone be righteous or pure in God's sight?

Don't put me, your servant, on trial; no one is innocent in your sight.

Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has gotten rid of his sin?

There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake.

All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way. But the LORD made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.

Even if you washed with the strongest soap, I would still see the stain of your guilt.

How can you say you have not defiled yourself, that you have never worshiped Baal? Look how you sinned in the valley; see what you have done. You are like a wild camel in heat, running around loose,

everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.

All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.

You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise.

If you think you are something when you really are nothing, you are only deceiving yourself.

and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.

Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice.

Do any of you think you are religious? If you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless and you deceive yourself.

and they will be paid with suffering for the suffering they have caused. Pleasure for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways!

If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.

and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.

because the truth remains in us and will be with us forever.

I was so happy when some Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth---just as you always live in the truth.