John 17:14 kjv
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:14 nkjv
I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17:14 niv
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
John 17:14 esv
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17:14 nlt
I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
John 17 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 8:23 | Jesus said to them, “You are from below; I am from above... | Jesus not of the world |
| John 8:43 | Why do you not understand My speech? Because you cannot hear My word. | Incapacity of the world to receive word |
| John 14:23 | Jesus answered... “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word... | Keeping His word, dwelling with Him |
| John 15:3 | You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. | Word cleanses disciples |
| John 15:18 | “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” | World's hatred for Jesus and His followers |
| John 15:19 | “If you were of the world, the world would love its own... I chose you out | Reason for hatred: chosen out of the world |
| John 17:6 | “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world." | Disciples given by Father, distinct from world |
| John 17:16 | “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” | Reiterates shared distinctiveness with Jesus |
| John 18:36 | Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world..." | Jesus' kingdom is heavenly, not earthly |
| Deut 30:19 | ...choose life, that both you and your descendants may live... | Choosing life through God's word |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | Word guides the believer's life |
| Matt 10:22 | You will be hated by all for My name’s sake... | Hatred as a sign of discipleship |
| Matt 24:9 | ...you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. | Universal hatred for Christ's followers |
| Luke 6:22 | Blessed are you when men hate you... for the Son of Man’s sake. | Persecution brings blessing |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing... | Non-conformity to the world's pattern |
| 1 Cor 2:12 | Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is | Spirit received is not of the world |
| Gal 1:4 | ...who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present | Delivered from this evil age |
| Phil 3:20 | For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for... | Believers' true citizenship is heavenly |
| Jas 4:4 | Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy | Friendship with world equals enmity with God |
| 1 Pet 2:21 | For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving | Christ's suffering and example |
| 1 John 2:15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world... | Prohibition against loving the world |
| 1 John 3:13 | Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. | Expectation of the world's hatred |
John 17 verses
John 17 14 Meaning
John 17:14 states that Jesus has given His followers God the Father's word, and because of this, the world has hated them. This hatred stems from the fundamental truth that believers are not aligned with or derived from the world's values and systems, just as Jesus Himself is not. The verse underscores the inherent conflict between divine truth and the fallen human system, demonstrating that embracing God's word inevitably leads to separation and opposition from the world.
John 17 14 Context
John 17 presents Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" delivered just hours before His arrest and crucifixion. This prayer reveals Jesus' heart for Himself (vv. 1-5), His immediate disciples (vv. 6-19), and all future believers (vv. 20-26). Verse 14 falls within Jesus' specific intercession for His disciples. He has previously declared that the Father "gave" these disciples to Him (vv. 6, 9), implying divine election and possession. He also highlighted His fulfillment of His mission by preserving them and giving them God's word (vv. 12-13). Verse 14 provides the underlying reason for the necessity of His protection and sanctification prayer (v. 17): the world's inherent hatred and opposition. This Johannine concept of "the world" (kosmos) denotes humanity organized against God, a spiritual system of darkness, distinct from the physical creation. Jesus' prayer anticipates the disciples' future mission into this hostile world (v. 18), but stresses their spiritual separation from it. This theological distinction served as a strong counterpoint to the prevailing cultural norms of Roman syncretism and Jewish nationalistic expectations of a worldly messianic kingdom.
John 17 14 Word analysis
I have given (δεδωκα, dedōka): Perfect active indicative. Signifies a completed past action with continuing results. Jesus authoritatively, irrevocably, and fully delivered God's revelation. This gift of the word empowers and transforms.
them: Refers primarily to the apostles present, but in the broader context of John 17, extends to all who would believe through their word.
Your word (τον λογον σου, ton logon sou): Not just individual statements, but the totality of God's truth revealed through Jesus. It encompasses Jesus' teachings, commands, and His very being as the Word Incarnate (John 1:1). It is divine truth that illuminates, judges, and saves.
and: Connects two related clauses, indicating consequence or outcome. Receiving the Word results in conflict with the world.
the world (ο κοσμος, ho kosmos): In this context, signifies the fallen human system, separated from God and governed by Satan, inherently hostile to divine light and truth. It represents worldly values, systems, and spiritual darkness.
has hated (εμισεσεν, emisesen): Perfect active indicative, parallel to "have given." Indicates a deep, established, and abiding hatred. This animosity is not incidental or occasional but a fundamental posture.
them: The disciples, and by extension, all believers who carry and live by God's word.
because (οτι, hoti): Introduces the precise reason for the world's hatred.
they are not of the world (ουκ εισιν εκ του κοσμου, ouk eisin ek tou kosmou): This defines their origin, nature, allegiance, and citizenship. Believers are chosen out of the world (John 15:19), spiritually reborn, and belong to God. Their values and ultimate loyalties differ radically from the world's. This is an ontological and spiritual separation.
just as (καθως, kathos): A direct comparison, highlighting shared nature and experience.
I am not of the world (εγω ουκ ειμι εκ του κοσμου, ego ouk eimi ek tou kosmou): Jesus, by His divine nature and mission, is fundamentally distinct from the world's fallen system. His disciples' non-worldliness is a direct consequence of their union with Him and reception of His word, mirroring His own identity.
"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them": The very act of conveying God's divine revelation immediately triggers the world's hostility. The light of God's truth exposes and judges the darkness of the world, causing an inevitable collision. This establishes a causal link between embracing God's word and experiencing the world's opposition.
"because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world": This phrase clarifies the nature of the separation and the reason for the hatred. The spiritual disconnect is fundamental. Believers share an essential difference from the world with Christ. Their spiritual identity, source, and ultimate destination lie outside the world's realm. This also affirms Christ's own inherent divinity and distinction.
John 17 14 Bonus section
- The passive state "hated" (emisesen) suggests an inherent spiritual reflex from the world against God's presence in believers, rather than mere personal animosity. It's a fundamental clash of spiritual kingdoms.
- This verse lays the groundwork for understanding Christian persecution throughout history. It affirms that suffering for Christ's sake is not an anomaly but an inherent part of the Christian walk due to the radical difference between the values of God's kingdom and those of the fallen world.
- The "word" mentioned here is central to sanctification (John 17:17). The word given (v.14) is the same word that sets believers apart from the world (sanctification). This emphasizes that separation from the world is not merely ethical but also spiritual, facilitated by divine truth.
John 17 14 Commentary
John 17:14 unveils a profound spiritual truth: the acceptance of divine revelation creates an irreconcilable chasm between believers and the fallen world. Jesus' declaration, "I have given them Your word," emphasizes His role as the ultimate revealer of God's truth. This word, far from merely imparting knowledge, transforms those who receive it, fundamentally reorienting their lives and loyalties. The immediate consequence, "and the world has hated them," underscores the inherent hostility of a system alienated from God towards His truth. This hatred is not arbitrary; it's a reactive byproduct, existing "because they are not of the world." Believers, by virtue of embracing the Word, undergo a spiritual disjunction, aligning their being, values, and allegiance with God, not with the transient, anti-God nature of the fallen kosmos. This spiritual separation mirrors Christ's own non-worldliness perfectly, solidifying the idea that genuine discipleship involves a distinct way of life that will invariably invite opposition from the dominant worldly culture. The verse serves as both a comfort—confirming a shared experience with Christ—and a warning, signifying that persecution is an expected outcome of faithfulness.