3:8a
The one who practices sin: (Tense) This is the same as “who practices sin” in 3:4. The tense shows that it is referring to continual or habitual sinning. See Good News Translation, The Jerusalem Bible, Living Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English.
is of the devil: (Meaning) This means that such a person is under the control of the devil and shares his nature. This is sometimes expressed in translation as “is a child of the devil.” (New English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
3:8b
because: (Logical Relationship) John is saying that we know the devil has always been sinning, and therefore we know that anyone who continually sins must belong to him. He is not saying that if a person keeps sinning this makes him a child of the devil.
from the very start: (Meaning) This is the same Greek phrase as was used in 1:1 and 2:13, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “from the beginning” in each of those verses. Here, the phrase means the same thing as in each of those verses. It refers to the beginning of the world.
3:8c
This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil: (Parenthesis) This sentence is a comment on the devil’s sinful activities which have just been mentioned. It interrupts John’s teaching about the two types of people, sinful and righteous, which continues in the next two verses.
was revealed: (Meaning) See the note “Christ appeared” on 3:5a.
destroy the works of the devil: (Meaning) The devil’s work is tempting people to sin and getting control over their lives so that they continue to sin. Christ came to free people from the devil’s control and to defeat his efforts to tempt people. So the devil’s work is in vain.
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.