He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
- BSB Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- NKJV He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
- NASB The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
- NLT Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
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
Those who belong to God hear God's words; their failure to hear shows they are not of God. Receptivity to Christ's word reveals one's spiritual origin.
Overview
Jesus draws a sharp conclusion: hearing and heeding God's word evidences belonging to God. Their deafness to his teaching proves they are not his. This verse, consistent with the Reformed emphasis on God's initiative, teaches that responsiveness to the gospel is itself a mark of God's gracious work in a person.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 10:26–27But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
- 2 Jn 1:9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
- John 18:37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
- 1 Jn 3:10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
- John 6:45–46It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
- John 8:37I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
- John 8:45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
- 1 Jn 4:1–6Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
- John 8:43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
- John 1:12–13But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- John 17:6–8I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
- John 6:65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
- 1 Jn 5:1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
- 3 Jn 1:11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
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 8:47 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.