If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Parallel translations
- WEB If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.
- BSB If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
- NKJV If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
- NASB If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
- NLT Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says that if He does not do His Father's works, they need not believe Him. He invites them to test His claims by His deeds.
Overview
Jesus appeals to evidence, willing to be judged by whether His works are truly the Father's. He does not ask for blind acceptance but points to verifiable signs. This shows the consistency of His claims with His actions.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- John 15:24If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
- John 10:25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
- John 14:10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
- Matt 11:20–24Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
- John 12:37–40But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
- John 10:32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
- John 5:31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 10:37 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.