He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you 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.”
- KJV He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye 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.”
- 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 you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.
- 2 Jn 1:9Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son.
- John 18:37Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
- 1 Jn 3:10In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
- John 6:45–46It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
- 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 8:45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.
- 1 Jn 4:1–6Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- John 8:43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
- John 1:12–13But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
- John 17:6–8I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
- John 6:65He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
- 1 Jn 5:1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
- 3 Jn 1:11Beloved, don’t imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He who does good is of God. He who does evil hasn’t 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.