John 9 31

John 9:31 kjv

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

John 9:31 nkjv

Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

John 9:31 niv

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

John 9:31 esv

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

John 9:31 nlt

We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.

John 9 verses

John 9 31 Meaning

John 9:31 concisely states a commonly accepted principle within Judaism of that era: God hears and responds to the prayers of those who worship Him and actively obey His will, but He does not attend to the requests of impenitent sinners. In the context of the healed blind man, this statement serves as a logical conclusion and a challenge to the Pharisees. Since Jesus performed a miraculous healing (an act of divine power) and clearly demonstrates a connection to God, the blind man argues that Jesus must not be a sinner as the religious leaders claim, but rather one whom God hears and approves, thus affirming Jesus' divine origin and mission.

John 9 31 Context

John 9:31 is spoken by the man born blind, whom Jesus has just miraculously healed, during an interrogation by the Jewish religious authorities (the Pharisees). The chapter opens with Jesus refuting the common belief that suffering (like the man's blindness) is always a direct result of personal sin. Jesus then heals the man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, prejudiced against Jesus and His Sabbath-breaking act, launch an inquisition. They question the man, his parents, and the man again, desperately trying to deny the miracle or attribute it to an unholy source, repeatedly claiming Jesus is a "sinner" (John 9:16, 24). The verse comes as the man's profound and bold retort, presenting a widely accepted theological premise to expose the contradiction in the Pharisees' arguments. He, a former outcast, becomes a sharp debater, challenging their spiritual blindness with his newfound spiritual insight.

John 9 31 Word analysis

• We know (οἴδαμεν - oidamen): This is a statement of universally accepted, foundational knowledge within Jewish theology. The man is appealing to a truth that even the Pharisees would affirm. It implies certainty and common consensus.

• that God (ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς - hoti ho Theos): Refers to the singular, transcendent God of Israel, Yahweh. There is no ambiguity in who "God" refers to within this Jewish context.

• does not listen to sinners (ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἀκούει - hamartōlōn ouk akouei):

  • does not listen (οὐκ ἀκούει): Not just "hear" as in audibly perceiving sound, but "listen" in the sense of heeding, approving, and favorably answering a prayer or request. It signifies a refusal of divine intervention or favorable response.
  • to sinners (ἁμαρτωλῶν): Refers to those habitually engaged in unrepentant sin, living in disobedience to God's law, particularly from the perspective of their own spiritual traditions, implying those under God's disapproval due to persistent moral failure.

• but if anyone (ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις - all' ean tis): Introduces a contrasting condition, signaling the criteria for divine favor. "If anyone" implies universal applicability based on one's character and actions, rather than social status.

• is a worshiper of God (θεοσεβὴς ᾖ - theosebēs ē):

  • worshiper of God (θεοσεβὴς): A devout, pious person who reveres God, not merely in outward observance but with inner devotion and commitment. This term denotes genuine godliness and a sincere relationship with God, actively expressed through worship.

• and does His will (καὶ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ - kai to thelēma autou poiē):

  • does His will (τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ): This goes beyond mere ritual or external obedience. It implies active, willing, and intentional adherence to God's commandments, purpose, and moral expectations as revealed in Scripture. This is the crucial practical demonstration of being a true worshiper.

• God listens to him (τούτου ἀκούει - toutou akouei): Reiteration of the word "listens," confirming that it is the sincere, obedient worshiper whose prayers and actions receive divine attention and favorable response.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "We know that God does not listen to sinners": This phrase sets up a common, unquestioned theological axiom that the blind man weaponizes against his interlocutors. It reflects a traditional understanding of divine justice where persistent sin severs communication and favorable response from God.
  • "but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will": This contrasts sharply with the first part, laying out the precise conditions under which God does intervene or listen. It emphasizes both inner devotion ("worshiper of God") and outer obedience ("does His will") as intertwined requirements.
  • "God listens to him": This serves as the direct logical consequence of meeting the conditions, completing the "if... then" statement, and reinforcing the idea of divine responsiveness to the truly devout.

John 9 31 Bonus section

The irony of John 9:31 is striking: a man who was physically blind from birth, and thus, according to prevailing beliefs, either himself a sinner or born into sin (Jn 9:2), gains physical sight and then spiritual clarity that far surpasses that of the "seeing" religious elite. This formerly blind man, an "unlearned" layperson, uses their own theological tenets to condemn their unbelief. His statement represents a crucial moment in his theological journey, progressing from viewing Jesus merely as a "man" (Jn 9:11) to "a prophet" (Jn 9:17), and culminating here in recognizing Jesus as someone empowered by God, leading to his eventual worship of Jesus as Lord (Jn 9:38). The Pharisees, by consistently rejecting Jesus, inadvertently prove his divine origin through the blind man's irrefutable logic derived from their shared heritage.

John 9 31 Commentary

John 9:31 is a profound statement not because it introduces a novel theological truth, but because it is delivered by a former outcast, weaponizing common Jewish theology against its own gatekeepers, the Pharisees. The blind man’s reasoning is a masterful a fortiori argument: If Jesus has done such a powerful, undeniably divine work as opening eyes born blind (which the Pharisees could not refute), and God only listens to those who are righteous and do His will, then Jesus logically cannot be a sinner, but must be from God. The man highlights the hypocrisy and spiritual blindness of the Pharisees who, despite professing knowledge of God, refuse to see God’s work in Jesus because of their predetermined notions and pride. While a common proverb, it isn't an absolute rule; the New Testament clearly shows God hears repentant sinners for salvation (e.g., the thief on the cross), but for miraculous intervention and divine favor as a norm, the principle holds that God blesses those who walk in His ways. This verse perfectly encapsulates the progressive spiritual insight of the blind man contrasted with the hardening spiritual blindness of the religious leaders.