John 7:17

John 7:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
• New International Version (NIV)Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.

Context of John 7:17

15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?" 16So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?"

John 7:17 word by word

ἐάν τις θέλῃ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιεῖν, γνώσεται περὶ τῆς διδαχῆς πότερον ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ἢ ἐγὼ ἀπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ λαλῶ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• any manτιςtis · oneG5100
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• willὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• he shall knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• the doctrineδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
• whetherπότεροςpoteron · whetherG4220
• it beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• orἤē · orG2228
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• myselfἐμαυτοῦemautou emautō emauton · myselfG1683

Cross-references for John 7:17

• John 1:46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
• John 8:31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
• Psalms 25:8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
• Psalms 119:10With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
• Isaiah 35:8And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
• Jeremiah 31:33For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
• Hosea 6:3Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
• Micah 4:2and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
• Malachi 4:2But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
• Matthew 6:22"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
• Luke 8:15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
• Acts 10:1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,
• Acts 11:13And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;
• Acts 17:11Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• Philippians 3:15Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

Commentaries on John 7:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17If any man wilt do his will, etc. - I will give you a sure rule by which ye may judge of my doctrine: If you really wish to do the will of God, begin the practice of it; and take my doctrine, and apply it to all that you know God requires of man; and if you find one of my precepts contrary to the nature, perfections, and glory of God, or to the present or eternal welfare of men, then ye shall be at liberty to assert that my doctrine is human and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17If any man will do his will - Literally, if any man wills or is willing to do the will of God. If there is a disposition in anyone to do that will, though he should not be able perfectly to keep His commandments. To do the will of God is to obey His commandments; to yield our hearts and lives to His requirements. A disposition to do His will is a readiness to yield our intellects, our feelings, and all that we have entirely to Him, to be governed…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-24Verses 14-24 Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17People who truly want to follow God's will accept Jesus and his teachings (see also 5:42–47). In contrast, those who focus only on the values and desires of this world are not open to Christ. When people care more about human approval, power, or temporary success, they struggle to receive his message.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1816-18. doctrine ... not mine, &c.--that is, from Myself unauthorized; I am here by commission.Read the comment

Topics related to John 7:17

• Doctrines
• Jesus, the Christ
• Temple
• Will
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Division
• Judge
• Thither
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Doctrine
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• Know; Knowledge

Commentaries on John 7

• 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
• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings