John 7:7 kjv
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
John 7:7 nkjv
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
John 7:7 niv
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.
John 7:7 esv
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
John 7:7 nlt
The world can't hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.
John 7 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their works were evil. | Contrasts light/darkness, love of evil works. |
| 1 John 3:12 | We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. | Cain's hatred stemming from his own evil deeds. |
| 1 John 2:15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | World's enmity toward God's love. |
| Romans 8:7 | For the desires of the flesh are enmity against God, for they do not lie down under God's law, nor can they indeed. | Flesh is in opposition to God's law. |
| Ephesians 2:1-3 | And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world... doing the desires of body and mind, and were by nature children of wrath... | Humanity's natural state as "children of wrath." |
| Acts 7:51-53 | "You stiffnecked people! Uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." | Historical pattern of resistance to God. |
| Matthew 10:22 | You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. | Jesus foretells persecution. |
| Matthew 5:11-12 | "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." | Jesus blesses those persecuted for His sake. |
| John 15:18-19 | "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." | Jesus explains the world's hatred is due to separation. |
| 1 Peter 4:16 | But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but let your name be glorified because of this name. | Encouragement to suffer for Christ. |
| Psalm 38:20 | Those who render evil for good accuse me, because I follow what is good. | David's experience of being accused for doing good. |
| Isaiah 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. | Prophecy of Christ's rejection. |
| 1 Corinthians 1:23 | but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, | The offensive nature of the Gospel. |
| Acts 13:45 | When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. | Opposition from Jewish leaders. |
| John 1:10 | He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. | The world's lack of recognition for its Creator. |
| 2 Timothy 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | General statement on persecution. |
| John 9:41 | Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say 'We see,' your guilt remains." | Those claiming sight but are blind. |
| John 8:47 | Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God." | Distinction between hearing God's word. |
| Galatians 1:10 | For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. | Paul's mission of pleasing God. |
| John 16:20 | Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. | Future sorrow for believers, joy contrasted with world's rejoicing. |
John 7 verses
John 7 7 Meaning
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. This verse signifies the inherent opposition between God's perfect holiness and the sinful nature of the world, which actively rejects Christ because He exposes its sinfulness.
John 7 7 Context
This verse appears in the middle of Jesus' ministry during the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). Following Jesus' teaching in the temple courts, which divided the crowd, His brothers (or close relatives, depending on interpretation) challenged Him to go to Judea and openly manifest Himself. Jesus stated that His time had not yet come, but that the "world" could not hate Him, whereas it hated Him. This indicates an ongoing conflict between Jesus and the unbelieving world, a central theme in John's Gospel. John's primary audience was likely both Jewish and Gentile believers, needing to understand Jesus' divine identity and the world's rejection of Him. The historical context involves the religious and political tension in Judea, with authorities seeking to arrest Jesus.
John 7 7 Word Analysis
"The world" (ὁ κόσμος, ho kosmos): Refers not just to the planet, but to the entire human race alienated from God, living in opposition to His will and commandments. It embodies the system of ungodliness, evil, and rejection of divine truth.
"cannot hate" (μισεῖν οὐ δύναται, misein ou dynamatai): Literally, "is not able to hate." This highlights the inherent incompatibility between the "world" (in its fallen state) and Christ. It suggests a natural aversion, an impossibility of embracing Him without a fundamental change.
"but it hates Me" (ἐμοῦ δὲ αὐτὸν μισεῖ, emou de auton misei): Contrasts with the previous statement. The world, by its nature, finds Jesus offensive.
"because I testify of it" (ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν, hoti ta erga autou ponēra estin): "Because its works are evil." This is the root cause of the world's hatred. Jesus' very presence and message reveal the corruption and sinfulness of the world's actions and inner disposition.
"I testify" (μαρτυρῶ, martyro): Jesus bears witness to the truth about God and the truth about the world. His testimony is definitive and unwavering.
"its works are evil" (τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν, ta erga autou ponēra estin): The Greek word "poneros" implies malice, wickedness, and inherent depravity, not merely something unfortunate, but actively sinful. This points to the character of human deeds outside of God.
Words Group Analysis: The contrast between "cannot hate" and "hates Me" powerfully frames the dichotomy Jesus introduces. The world is unable to genuinely embrace or love Him because His essential nature (reflected in His testimony of its evil works) is antithetical to its own corrupted state. The phrase "its works are evil" is the crucial connecting element explaining the world's reaction.
John 7 7 Bonus Section
This verse is a cornerstone in understanding John's polemic against a false spiritual milieu. The world's hatred for Jesus directly correlates with its inability to comprehend or accept divine truth, a concept often explored in contrasting the "kingdom of God" with the "kingdom of this world." Scholars note that the world's "works" being "evil" refers not only to outward sinful actions but also to the internal motivations and worldview that fuel those actions. Jesus, as the light of the world, inevitably brings such hidden things to light, provoking a reaction from those who prefer the darkness of their sin.
John 7 7 Commentary
Jesus' statement in John 7:7 is a profound declaration of the spiritual chasm between God and humanity in its fallen state. The world's system, driven by sin and self-interest, recoils from the purity and truth embodied in Christ. His life, teachings, and actions expose the inherent corruption of human nature and society apart from God. Therefore, instead of being loved or tolerated, Jesus is met with active opposition and hatred because His very existence is a rebuke to sin. This reality of rejection is not personal to Jesus, but is a testament to the world's deep-seated resistance to the divine.