John 5 42

John 5:42 kjv

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

John 5:42 nkjv

But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

John 5:42 niv

but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.

John 5:42 esv

But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.

John 5:42 nlt

because I know you don't have God's love within you.

John 5 verses

John 5 42 Meaning

Jesus states that the love of God is absent from the individuals he is addressing. This absence is not due to a lack of God's affection, but because these individuals have not received or accepted Jesus himself, who is the embodiment of God's love. Therefore, their failure to welcome Jesus demonstrates their lack of receptiveness to God's love.

John 5 42 Context

This verse occurs within John chapter 5, where Jesus is interacting with the Jewish religious leaders. He has just healed a man on the Sabbath and is defending his authority, asserting that he is one with the Father and that the Father has given him life and authority to judge. The religious leaders are hostile because they do not accept Jesus' claims or his divine authority. They are looking for reasons to condemn him, and Jesus confronts them about the fundamental reason for their disbelief: the absence of God's love in their hearts.

John 5 42 Word Analysis

• "But": This conjunction indicates a contrast to what Jesus has been saying, particularly his affirmation that the Father loves him and has shown him all that the Father does.
• "I know": eidō (οἶδα) - a perfect tense verb signifying certain, complete knowledge. Jesus possesses an intrinsic, divine understanding of their inner disposition.
• "you": The plural form refers to the specific group of religious leaders Jesus is speaking to, and by extension, those who share their hardened hearts and disbelief.
• "do not have": ouch echete (οὐκ ἔχετε) - indicates a lack of possession, not an inability to acquire, but a current state of not possessing.
• "the love": tēn agapēn (τὴν ἀγάπην) - refers to the specific, divine, unconditional love. It's not mere affection but a volitional love that seeks the best.
• "of God": tou theou (τοῦ θεοῦ) - signifying the origin and source of this love.
• "in you": en hymin (ἐν ὑμῖν) - indicating their inner being, their innermost character and disposition.

Word Group Analysis:

• "But I know you do not have the love of God in you": This phrase forms a potent indictment. The knowledge is not a guess but an assured divine insight. The lack of possession (ou gar echō) of agapēn tou theou signifies a fundamental deficiency in their spiritual constitution. This love, typically an inward characteristic, is demonstrably absent en hymin.

John 5 42 Bonus Section

The verse implies that the "love of God" is not merely an emotion but a disposition that leads to receiving and embracing Jesus Christ. This divine love, when present in a person, prompts them to recognize and welcome God's sent Son. The absence of this love explains why certain individuals, despite their religious affiliation, remain resistant to Christ's message and divine nature. It also implies that the true measure of one's love for God is reflected in their response to Jesus.

John 5 42 Commentary

Jesus’ statement highlights a crucial distinction: external actions and even religious observance are insufficient without the internal disposition of God's love. The religious leaders may outwardly claim to love God and uphold the Law, but Jesus perceives the deeper reality. Their opposition to him, the very one sent by the Father, reveals the absence of the core attribute of God’s love within them. This love for God is intrinsically linked to loving His Son, as made clear in other passages. Their rejection of Jesus signifies a deeper rejection of the very source of divine love.