John 9:31

John 9:31 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
• English Standard Version (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.
• New King James Version (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.

Context of John 9:31

29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man — we don’t know where he’s from.” 30“This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

John 9:31 word by word

οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἀκούει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις θεοσεβὴς ᾖ καὶ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ, τούτου ἀκούει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hearethἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• notοὐou · noG3756
• sinnersἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• any manτιςtis · oneG5100
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a worshipper of Godθεοσεβήςtheosebēs · godlyG2318
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• doethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for John 9:31

• Job 27:8For what hope does the godless person have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
• Job 35:12There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil people.
• Job 42:8Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. For you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”
• Psalms 18:41They cry for help, but there is no one to save them — they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
• Psalms 34:15The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.
• Psalms 66:18If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
• Proverbs 1:28Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me.
• Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
• Proverbs 21:13The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.
• Proverbs 28:9Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law — even his prayer is detestable.
• Isaiah 1:15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
• Isaiah 58:9At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of the yoke among you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking,
• Jeremiah 11:11“Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring on them disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not hear them.
• Jeremiah 14:12If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.”
• Ezekiel 8:18Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not show pity or spare them. Though they call loudly in my hearing, I will not listen to them.”
• Micah 3:4Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.

Commentaries on John 9:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31God heareth not sinners - I believe the word ̔ signifies heathens, or persons not proselyted to the Jewish religion; and therefore it is put in opposition to , a worshipper of the true God. See the note on Luke 7:37. But in what sense may it be said, following our common version, that God heareth not sinners? When they regard iniquity in their heart - when they wish to be saved, and yet abide in their sins - when they will not separate themselves from the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Now we know - That is, it is an admitted or conceded point. No one calls it into question. God heareth not - When a miracle was performed it was customary to invoke the aid of God. Jesus often did this himself, and it was by his power only that prophets and apostles could perform miracles. The word “heareth” in this place is to be understood as referring to such cases. God will not hear - that is, answer. Sinners - Impostors. False prophets and pretenders…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-34Verses 24-34 As Christ's mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them, that have been blind, and now see; so the most powerful and lasting affections to Christ, arise from actual knowledge of him. In the work of grace in the soul, though we cannot tell when, and how, and by what steps the blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we can say, through grace, Whereas I was blind, now I see. I did live a worldly, sensual…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-41At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus claimed to be the light of the world (chapters 7–8; see 8:12). Now John tells about Jesus giving light, both physically and spiritually, to a blind man who lived in darkness (see 9:5). The story ends with a surprising reversal (a complete change) of roles: The man who had been blind was assumed to live in spiritual darkness. Yet he came to see and accept God’s light. The Pharisees could see with their physical eyes…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-3424-34. Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner--not wishing him to own, even to the praise of God, that a miracle had been wrought upon him, but to show more regard to the honor of God than ascribe any such act to one who was a sinner.Read the comment

Topics related to John 9:31

• Blindness
• Confession
• Converts
• Faith
• Prayer
• Righteous
• Sabbath
• Self-Righteousness
• Testimony
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Agree
• Anoint
• Ask
• Beg; Beggar; Begging
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• Sinner
• Sabbath

Commentaries on John 9

• 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