John 5:44

John 5:44 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
• New International Version (NIV)How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
• English Standard Version (ESV)How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
• New King James Version (NKJV)How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Context of John 5:44

42but I know you — that you have no love for God within you. 43I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

John 5:44 word by word

Πῶς δύνασθε ὑμεῖς πιστεῦσαι δόξαν παρὰ ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ οὐ ζητεῖτε;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• which receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• honourδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• oneἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• seekζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• notοὐou · noG3756
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• onlyμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441

Cross-references for John 5:44

• John 3:20For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
• John 8:43Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word.
• John 12:43For they loved human praise more than praise from God.
• Jeremiah 13:23Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil.
• Romans 8:7The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.
• Hebrews 3:12Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
• Matthew 23:5They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
• Galatians 5:19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
• 1 Samuel 2:30“Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever. But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disgraced.
• 2 Chronicles 6:8However, the Lord said to my father David, “Since it was your desire to build a temple for my name, you have done well to have this desire.
• Matthew 25:21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
• Luke 19:17“‘Well done, good servant! ’ he told him. ‘Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.’
• Romans 2:7eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality;
• 1 Corinthians 4:5So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.
• 2 Corinthians 10:18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.

Commentaries on John 5:44

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 44How can ye believe, which receive honor, etc. - The grand obstacle to the salvation of the scribes and Pharisees was their pride, vanity, and self-love. They lived on each other's praise. If they had acknowledged Christ as the only teacher, they must have given up the good opinion of the multitude; and they chose rather to lose their souls than to forfeit their reputation among men! This is the ruin of millions. They would be religious, if religion and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 44Which receive honour one of another - Who are studious of praise, and live for pride, ambition, and vainglory. This desire, Jesus says, was the great reason why they would not believe on him. They were unwilling to renounce their worldly honors, and become the followers of one so humble and unostentatious as he was. They expected a Messiah of pomp and splendor, and would not submit to one so despised and of so lowly a rank. Had the Messiah come, as they…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 39-44Verses 39-44 The Jews considered that eternal life was revealed to them in their Scriptures, and that they had it, because they had the word of God in their hands. Jesus urged them to search those Scriptures with more diligence and attention. "Ye do search the Scriptures," and ye do well to do so. They did indeed search the Scriptures, but it was with a view to their own glory. It is possible for men to be very studious in the letter of the Scriptures…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 44The Jewish leaders wanted honor and praise from one another. They cared about their reputation and status. They loved religious activity, but they did not truly love God. Their actions did not match their claims. Because of this, God would judge them (5:45–46).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 43-4743-47. if another shall come, &c.--How strikingly has this been verified in the history of the Jews! "From the time of the true Christ to our time, sixty-four false Christs have been reckoned by whom they have been deceived" [Bengel].Read the comment

Topics related to John 5:44

• Ambition
• Godlessness
• Unbelief
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Folk
• Judgment
• Lest
• Light
• Step
• Trouble
• Troubling
• Witness

Commentaries on John 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings