and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.
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.
- BSB nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.
- 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.
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 remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
- Deut 6:6–9These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart;
- John 12:44–48Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
- Prov 7:1–2My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
- Jas 1:21–22Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
- Isa 53:1–3Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- John 5:46–47For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.
- Isa 49:7Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, says to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and rise up; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
- John 15:7If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
- John 8:37I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
- John 1:11He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
- Prov 2:1–2My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
- Josh 1:8This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
- John 3:17–21For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
- John 8:46–47Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
- John 5:42–43But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.
- Ps 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
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 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.