John 5:30 kjv
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 5:30 nkjv
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
John 5:30 niv
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
John 5:30 esv
"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
John 5:30 nlt
I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
John 5 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 5:19 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that he also does..." | John 5:19 (Echoes dependence on the Father's action, clarifying this verse's self-sufficiency) |
| John 8:29 | "And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." | John 8:29 (Highlights Jesus' perfect alignment with the Father's will) |
| John 14:10 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works." | John 14:10 (Reinforces unity of action and origin with the Father) |
| John 6:38 | "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." | John 6:38 (Statement of His primary mission aligning with the Father's will) |
| 1 John 5:3 | "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." | 1 John 5:3 (Connection to obeying divine will) |
| Matthew 26:39 | "and going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'" | Matthew 26:39 (Demonstrates ultimate submission to the Father's will) |
| Philippians 2:8 | "and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." | Philippians 2:8 (Emphasis on obedience, even unto death) |
| Acts 2:22 | "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves also know—" | Acts 2:22 (Accreditation by God as basis for His actions) |
| Hebrews 5:8 | "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered." | Hebrews 5:8 (Jesus' obedience as a learned quality in His humanity) |
| Isaiah 42:1 | "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." | Isaiah 42:1 (Messianic prophecy of divine empowerment and purpose) |
| Isaiah 53:11 | "Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." | Isaiah 53:11 (His knowledge leading to justification of others) |
| Proverbs 2:6 | "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." | Proverbs 2:6 (Source of true knowledge and discernment) |
| Proverbs 16:4 | "The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." | Proverbs 16:4 (God's ultimate sovereignty and purpose) |
| John 5:22 | "For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," | John 5:22 (Sets up the context of Jesus' authority to judge) |
| John 5:24 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life." | John 5:24 (Links believing Him to life and passing from death) |
| John 3:19 | "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." | John 3:19 (Introduction to the theme of judgment based on response to Jesus) |
| Romans 2:16 | "on the day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus." | Romans 2:16 (God judging through Christ Jesus) |
| 2 Corinthians 5:10 | "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive his due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." | 2 Corinthians 5:10 (All appear before Christ's judgment seat) |
| 1 Peter 4:5 | "They will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." | 1 Peter 4:5 (Readiness of Christ to judge) |
| Revelation 19:11 | "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war," | Revelation 19:11 (Christ judging righteously) |
John 5 verses
John 5 30 Meaning
Jesus asserts His divine authority and intrinsic capability to act based on His own will, not solely dependent on external perception or guidance. He is not unilaterally judging; rather, His judgment is just and true because it originates from His perfect knowledge and volition, aligned with God's will.
John 5 30 Context
This verse is spoken by Jesus during a discourse at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, following His healing of a man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-18). The preceding verses establish Jesus' authority to give life and to execute judgment, a claim that incited strong opposition from the Jewish authorities who questioned His Sabbath practices and His divine claims (John 5:16-18). In this section, Jesus clarifies the nature of His authority and mission, emphasizing His perfect unity and harmony with God the Father. He asserts that His actions, including giving life and judging, are not self-initiated but are direct expressions of the Father's will and power, exercised with perfect righteousness because of His intimate relationship with the Father.
John 5 30 Word analysis
- ἀκούω (akouō): To hear.
- ἐγώ (egō): I. This pronoun is emphatic, highlighting "I myself."
- οὐ δύναμαι (ou dynamai): I am not able, I cannot. This is a strong negation of independent power.
- ποιεῖν (poiein): To do, to make, to perform.
- ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ (ap' emautou): From myself. Indicates originating from oneself or by one's own initiative.
- εἰ μὴ (ei mē): Except, if not. A strong conditional, allowing for something to happen only if the following condition is met.
- ἐὰν (ean): If. Conditional particle.
- βλέπω (blepō): To see, to behold, to perceive. Implies more than just visual sight; it refers to understanding and discerning.
- τὸν πατέρα (ton patera): The Father. Refers to God the Father.
- ποιεῖν (poiein): To do, to make.
- ἅ (ha): What (neuter plural relative pronoun).
- ἀκούω (akouō): To hear.
- οὕς (ous): Whom (accusative plural relative pronoun).
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I can do nothing from myself": This phrase (οὐ δύναμαι ποιεῖν ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ) expresses a profound interdependence, not of weakness, but of perfect unity. Jesus' power and actions are inseparably linked to the Father's.
- "except I hear from the Father doing what He does": This clause (εἰ μὴ ἐὰν βλέπω τὸν πατέρα μου ποιοῦντα ἅ ἐγὼ ἐὰν βλέπω... or in other interpretations: if I see what the Father is doing, whatever the Father does) underscores that His ability to act and the content of His actions are directly observable and derived from the Father. It implies a constant, perfect reception and imitation of the Father's will and works. The use of "see" and "hear" interchangeably highlights a deep, relational knowing, a spiritual discernment that governs His every deed.
John 5 30 Bonus section
The parallel use of "seeing" and "hearing" for the Father's actions (βλέπω... ἃ ἐὰν ἀκούω) points to an intimate, holistic understanding between Father and Son. It's not just visual imitation, but a shared divine consciousness. This concept is central to the Johannine understanding of the Godhead, where perfect love and unity lead to perfect co-operation in action. Jesus is presenting a model for believers, who are also called to listen to His words and believe in the Father (John 5:24). The ability to do "good works" originates from this connection to God (John 15:4-5). The accusation from the Jewish leaders stemmed from a misunderstanding of divine unity and the exclusive claim of Jesus on originating life and judgment.
John 5 30 Commentary
Jesus is explaining the absolute integrity and divine source of His actions, particularly in the context of judgment and giving life. He emphasizes that His "judgment" is just and righteous because it originates not from an independent, flawed human perspective, but from a perfect, divinely imparted knowledge and volition. He "sees" what the Father is doing – meaning He perfectly discerns and participates in the Father's eternal activities and purposes. Thus, His actions are an extension of the Father's will. This does not diminish His divinity; rather, it highlights His unique Sonship, characterized by perfect obedience and unity with the Father. His entire ministry is a perfect reflection of the Father’s character and plan, making His pronouncements and actions authoritative and just.