John 8 47

John 8:47 kjv

He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

John 8:47 nkjv

He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

John 8:47 niv

Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

John 8:47 esv

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

John 8:47 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."

John 8 verses

John 8 47 Meaning

John 8:47 presents a decisive spiritual truth: one's spiritual origin dictates their capacity to truly hear and respond to God's words, as spoken through Jesus Christ. Those whose nature and allegiance are rooted in God will spiritually perceive and accept divine truth. Conversely, those not spiritually connected to God lack the ability to genuinely hear and believe His message, revealing their spiritual alienation. This verse functions as a diagnostic tool, distinguishing genuine followers from their unbelieving opponents by their response to Jesus' teachings.

John 8 47 Context

John chapter 8 records a heated and escalating confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders. The debate begins after Jesus forgives an adulterous woman (8:1-11), where He declares Himself the "Light of the World" (8:12). This sparks a fierce theological exchange concerning His identity, authority, and the nature of truth and freedom. The leaders consistently reject Jesus' claims, emphasizing their lineage as "children of Abraham." However, Jesus challenges their external claims by revealing their internal spiritual reality, ultimately asserting in 8:44 that their true father is the devil, as their actions and murderous intentions align with him, not Abraham or God. Verse 47 serves as the culminating statement, an indictment explaining their inability to grasp His divine words: it is a direct consequence of their spiritual origin and allegiance being contrary to God's. Historically, the Jewish leaders prided themselves on their Law-keeping and direct descent from Abraham, believing this secured their place with God. Jesus' words are a direct polemic against this self-righteous and lineage-based spirituality, emphasizing a spiritual lineage based on genuine obedience and hearing God's voice, rather than mere biological descent or ritual observance.

John 8 47 Word analysis

• Whoever (Ὅστις - Hostis): This is an indefinite relative pronoun, indicating a universal truth that applies to "anyone who" or "everyone who." It implies a condition and its consequence, transcending national or social distinctions. The truth presented applies to all humanity.
• is of God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ὢν - ek tou theou on):
  • ἐκ (ek): A preposition meaning "from," "out of," indicating origin, source, or cause. It denotes spiritual parentage or fundamental nature.
  • τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou): "Of God."
  • ὢν (on): The present active participle of eimi (to be), meaning "being."
  • Together, ek tou theou on signifies a person whose ultimate spiritual origin, nature, and allegiance are fundamentally derived from God. It denotes spiritual kinship and alignment with the divine. This implies a new birth (Jn 1:13; 3:3-8) or spiritual adoption, establishing one's true identity and belonging as a "child of God."
• hears (ἀκούει - akouei): The present active indicative of akouō. While it primarily means to perceive sounds with the ear, in biblical Greek, especially in the Gospels, it extends to "hear and understand," "hear and obey," or "give heed to." It's not merely auditory perception but denotes a spiritual attentiveness, receptivity, and an inclination to believe and act upon what is heard. This kind of hearing reflects an open heart and a receptive spirit.
• the words of God (τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ θεοῦ - ta rhēmata tou theou):
  • τὰ ῥήματα (ta rhēmata): "The words" or "the sayings." This plural form refers to specific spoken utterances, declarations, and teachings. Unlike logos (which can refer to a broader concept of word, message, or even Christ Himself as the Word), rhēmata often emphasizes individual declarations or instructions. Here, it refers specifically to the truths spoken by Jesus, which He claims originate from God (Jn 3:34; 7:16).
  • τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou): "Of God," indicating their divine source and authority.
• The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God (διὰ τοῦτο ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἀκούετε, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἐστέ - dia touto hymeis ouk akouete, hoti ek tou theou ouk este):
  • This forms a strong causal relationship.
  • διὰ τοῦτο (dia touto): "For this reason," clearly stating the preceding inability to hear (you do not hear them) is directly because of the following reason.
  • ὑμεῖς (hymeis): "You," directly addressing Jesus' opponents.
  • οὐκ ἀκούετε (ouk akouete): "You do not hear," an emphatic negation of their spiritual hearing, despite physical auditory perception.
  • ὅτι (hoti): "Because," introducing the reason.
  • ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἐστέ (ek tou theou ouk este): "You are not of God," using the same phrasing as the first part of the verse but with a direct negation. This declares their fundamental spiritual estrangement and lack of divine parentage as the ultimate cause of their inability to hear God's truth through Jesus.

John 8 47 Bonus section

This verse crystallizes a recurring Johannine theme: the importance of spiritual origin (ek) in understanding and responding to divine truth. John consistently portrays a clear division between those who are "of God" (e.g., Jn 3:3-8; 1 Jn 4:4-6) and those who are "of the world" or "of the devil" (e.g., Jn 8:23; 8:44; 1 Jn 2:16; 3:8). This is not merely about predestination, but about an active, existential orientation of the heart and will towards or away from God. The phrase "is of God" suggests an inherent character, a spiritual nature derived from divine parentage, which provides the necessary lens to truly "hear" the words that are also "of God." This forms a foundational theological principle in John's Gospel, where faith is presented as the very act of hearing and believing the One whom God has sent, demonstrating one's true spiritual allegiance and lineage. It underscores that spiritual truth is not neutrally perceived; rather, reception depends on spiritual alignment.

John 8 47 Commentary

John 8:47 is a stark, binary assertion made by Jesus, serving as a litmus test for spiritual authenticity. It states unequivocally that true children of God will discern and respond to divine truth, specifically Jesus' words, because they share God's nature and spiritual allegiance. This is not about intellectual capacity, but spiritual discernment – a hearing of the heart, leading to belief and obedience. The inverse is equally definitive: those who fail to genuinely hear and embrace Jesus' teachings betray their spiritual disconnection from God. This is the profound indictment against the Jewish leaders; their refusal to accept Jesus' words demonstrated that, despite their claims of physical lineage to Abraham or their position as keepers of the Law, their hearts and spirits were not aligned with God. It implies that spiritual belonging (being "of God") is not merely intellectual assent or outward association, but a transformative inward reality that enables a proper response to God's self-revelation in Christ. For example, a child instinctively recognizes and responds to a parent's voice, while a stranger does not. Spiritually, it's the same: those "of God" inherently resonate with His truth.