nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.
Parallel translations
- WEB You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
- KJV And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
- ESV and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.
- NKJV But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
- NASB Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.
- NLT and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
God's word does not abide in them, shown by their refusal to believe the one he sent. Rejecting Jesus reveals an empty profession.
Overview
Jesus diagnoses the leaders' problem: God's word has no living place in them, proven by their unbelief toward Christ. Their outward religion lacks inward reality. True reception of God's word always leads to faith in the Son whom he sent.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Jn 2:14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
- Deut 6:6–9These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
- John 12:44–48Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.
- Prov 7:1–2My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
- Jas 1:21–22Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.
- Isa 53:1–3Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- John 5:46–47If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me.
- Isa 49:7Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
- John 15:7If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- John 8:37I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.
- John 1:11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
- Prov 2:1–2My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
- Josh 1:8This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
- John 3:17–21For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
- John 8:46–47Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?
- John 5:42–43but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you.
- Ps 119:11I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 5:38 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.