OET interlinear 1YHN (1JHN) 3:19

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: headings

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 19. Suggested heading: “Have Confidence When You Pray”

Note 2 topic: translate-versebridge

ἐν τούτῳ γνωσόμεθα & καὶ & πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

by this ˱we˲_/will_be/_knowing & and & ˱we˲_/will_be/_persuading the hearts ˱of˲_us

John describes a result in this verse. He gives the reason for that result in the next verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could put the reason before the result by creating a verse bridge. You could put 3:20 first in your translation, making it a separate sentence and leaving out both instances of the word “that.” You could put this verse next, translating it as in the following suggestions. Alternate translation: “That is how we can know … and how we can persuade our hearts”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν τούτῳ

by this

In this could refer either to: (1) What John has just said in verse 18. Alternate translation: “If we do that” (2) What John is about to say in verse 20. Alternate translation: “I will tell you how”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν τούτῳ γνωσόμεθα

by this ˱we˲_/will_be/_knowing

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we can know”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

γνωσόμεθα, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν, καὶ & πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

˱we˲_/will_be/_knowing that of the truth ˱we˲_are and & ˱we˲_/will_be/_persuading the hearts ˱of˲_us

The phrases we will know and we will persuade our hearts mean similar things. John is likely using the repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases into an emphatic expression. Alternate translation: “we will be completely convinced that we are from the truth”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

of the truth ˱we˲_are

This could mean one of two things. (1) John could be referring to God by association with the way that God is true. In other words, God always tells the truth and does what he says. Alternate translation: “we are from God, who is true” (2) As in 2:21, the word truth could refer to the true teaching that believers have received from Jesus. Alternate translation: “we are conducting our lives according to the true message”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

of the truth ˱we˲_are

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun truth with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “we are from the One who is true”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

of the truth ˱we˲_are

See how you translated the expression in 3:10 that has a similar meaning. Alternate translation: “we belong to God” or “we are living in relationship with God”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

˱we˲_/will_be/_persuading the hearts ˱of˲_us

John is speaking of hearts to mean thoughts and feelings. There may be a similar expression in your language. Alternate translation: “we can reassure ourselves about this”

Note 10 topic: writing-pronouns

ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ

before him

The pronoun him refers to God. Alternate translation: “before God”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ

before him

The word before means “in front of” or “in the presence of” someone. It likely refers to when we pray to God or are otherwise aware that he sees everything that we do. Alternate translation: “when we pray to God”