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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

Context of John 5:44

42But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of 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 wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
• John 8:43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
• John 12:43for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
• Jeremiah 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
• Romans 8:7For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
• Hebrews 3:12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
• Matthew 23:5They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
• Galatians 5:19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
• 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now the Lord declares: 'Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
• 2 Chronicles 6:8But the Lord said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
• Matthew 25:21His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'
• Luke 19:17And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
• Romans 2:7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
• 1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
• 2 Corinthians 10:18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom 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