OET interlinear 1YHN (1JHN) 4:17

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν τούτῳ

in this

As in 4:9, In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “By doing this”

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐν τούτῳ

in this

In this may refer: (1) backward to the last sentence of verse 16. Alternate translation: “By remaining in God,” (2) forward to the clause beginning because just as that one is. Alternate translation: “By loving others just the way that Jesus does,”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ’ ἡμῶν

/has_been/_perfected ¬the love with us

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:5. Since John speaks in the previous verse of God’s love, here John is probably continuing to refer to God’s love for us, rather than to our love for God. Alternate translation: “God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως

in_order_that confidence ˱we˲_/may_be/_having in the day ¬the ˱of˲_judgment

The clause beginning so that could function as: (1) a result clause. That is, John may be saying that as a result of God’s love achieving its purposes in our lives now, we will be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for result clauses. Alternate translation: “with the result that we may have confidence in the day of judgment” (2) a purpose clause. That is, John may be saying that one reason why God is having his love achieve its purpose in our lives now is that on the day of judgment, he wants us to be confident of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν

in_order_that confidence ˱we˲_/may_be/_having

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what believers will have confidence about. Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν

in_order_that confidence ˱we˲_/may_be/_having

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun confidence with an adjective such as “confident.” Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως

in in the day ¬the ˱of˲_judgment

John is using the term day to refer to a specific time. Alternate translation: “at the time when God judges us”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὅτι

because

The word translated because here can be understood in different ways, depending on how you translated In this at the beginning of the verse. (1) If you translated In this as referring back to verse 16, then this word can be translated as “because.” (2) If you translated In this as referring to the clause beginning with this word, then translate this word with one that introduces the content of In this, such as “that.”

Note 9 topic: writing-pronouns

ὅτι καθὼς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν

because as that_‹one› is also we are

The phrase that one refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “since we are becoming more and more like Jesus”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ

in in in ¬the world this

John uses world to mean various things in this letter, usually in a figurative sense. Here, however, it refers literally to the created world. Alternate translation: “as we live in this world” or “in our lives on this earth”