He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
- BSB Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.
- NKJV He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
- NASB The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
- NLT Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
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
Failure to keep Jesus' words reveals an absence of love for Him, and His words are the Father's. To reject Jesus' teaching is to reject the Father who sent Him.
Overview
The negative counterpart to verse 23 clarifies that disobedience exposes a heart that does not truly love Christ. Jesus stresses that His message is not His own invention but the word of the Father who sent Him. This underscores His full authority and the unity of the Son with the Father: to hear and obey Jesus is to hear and obey God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- John 7:16Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent 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.
- John 8:42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
- John 3:34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
- John 5:19Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
- John 14:21–23He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
- 1 Jn 3:16–20Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- John 14:15If ye love me, keep my commandments.
- John 5:38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
- Matt 25:41–46Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
- John 8:38I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
- John 8:28Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
- John 8:26I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
- John 7:28Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
- John 12:44–50Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
- 2 Cor 8:8–9I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
- Matt 19:21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
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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.
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Original language
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