1 John 3:3

1 John 3:3

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

a. NLT: And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

c. Amplified Bible: And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless). [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text:  Let every man who has this hope in him purify himself, even as he is pure.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ASV: And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.   [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

1. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. every [man] [Strong: 3956 pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), × daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

c. [that] hath [Strong: 2192 échō, ekh'-o; a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):—be (able, × hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), × conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, +recover, + reign, + rest, + return, × sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

d. this [Strong: 5026 taútēi, tow'-tay; dative case, accusative case and genitive case respectively of the feminine singular of G3778; (towards or of) this:—her, + hereof, it, that, +thereby, the (same), this (same).]

e. hope [Strong: 1680 elpís, el-pece'; from a primary ἔλπω élpō (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence:—faith, hope.]

f. in [Strong: 1909 epí, ep-ee'; a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:—about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, × have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with.]

g. him [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

h. purifieth [Strong: 48 hagnízō, hag-nid'-zo; from G53; to make clean, i.e. (figuratively) sanctify (ceremonially or morally):—purify (self).] [Zodhiates: To consecrate, purify, lustrate. Purification was required in priest for divine service…and indeed in all who belonged to the chosen people…Metaphorically, to render pure in a moral sense, to reform. Used  not only with the meaning of purifying or cleansing, but also with the collateral meaning of consecration.]

i. himself [Strong: 1438 heautoû, heh-ow-too'; from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of G846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:—alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

1). The phrase “purifieth himself” is written in the same spirit as 2 Corinthians 7:1  The initial cleansing is done by the sacrifice of Christ, which we partake of when we get born again.

 

a). 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

b). 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

2). After the new birth we have to walk out by grace and faith and obedience what God has already done for and in us through Jesus Christ.

 

a). Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 

3). In our obedience to the word of God we are cleansing our lives.

 

a). Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

 

b). Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

 

c). John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

4). The “hope” I believe this verse is referring to is what is known in believing circles as “the blessed hope”, the rapture of the Church at the coming of Christ. Notice the grace, the empowerment of God, teaches us the “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” is the linked to the desire of Christ Jesus to “redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people”. The desire to be with Christ Jesus will produce in us the subsequent desire to be purified from all iniquity.    

a). Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

5). Notice first what having this “hope” does to the believer. It produces in him a desire to purify himself. We of course are New Covenant priests. Under the Old Covenant the priests had to go through the physical process of getting ceremonially clean in order to be fit for service in the tabernacle and we under the New Covenant do the same, but instead of washing our physical bodies, we wash our spiritual lives in our relationship with Christ by our daily consecration and obedience to the word of God.

a). Ephesians 5:24-27 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

b). Hebrews 10:19-23 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

c). Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

6). There are other passages that would bolster these truths: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Romans 12:1, 2.

2. “…even as he is pure.”

a. even as [Strong: 2531 kathṓs, kath-oce'; from G2596 and G5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:—according to, (according, even) as, how, when.]

 

b. he [Strong: 1565 ekeînos, ek-i'-nos; from G1563; that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed:—he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), × their, × them, they, this, those.]

c. is [Strong: 2076 estí, es-tee'; third person singular present indicative of G1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:—are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, × dure for a while, + follow, × have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, × must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

d. pure [Strong: 53 hagnós, hag-nos'; from the same as G40; properly, clean, i.e. (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect:—chaste, clean, pure.]

1). The “he” of course is Christ Jesus who we are, by the grace of God striving to be transformed into His image.

a). Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.