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 spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man came from.” 30The man replied to them, “That’s amazing! You don’t know where he’s from. Yet, he gave me sight. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. Instead, he listens to people who are devout and who do what he wants. 32Since the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do anything like that.”

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 27:8After all, what hope does the godless person have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
• Job 35:12Then they cry out, but he doesn’t answer them because of the arrogance of ⌞those⌟ evil people.
• Job 42:8So take seven young bulls and seven rams. Go to my servant Job, and make a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you. Then I will accept his prayer not to treat you as godless fools. After all, you didn’t speak what is right about me as my servant Job has done.”
• Psalms 18:41They cried out for help, but there was no one to save them. They cried out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
• Psalms 34:15The Lord’s eyes are on righteous people. His ears hear their cry for help.
• Psalms 66:18If I had thought about doing anything sinful, the Lord would not have listened ⌞to me⌟.
• Proverbs 1:28“They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me,
• Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from wicked people, but he hears the prayers of righteous people.
• Proverbs 21:13Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.
• Proverbs 28:9Surely the prayer of someone who refuses to listen to ⌞God’s⌟ teachings is disgusting.
• Isaiah 1:15So when you stretch out your hands ⌞in prayer⌟, I will turn my eyes away from you. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen because your hands are covered with blood.
• Isaiah 58:9Then you will call, and the Lord will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am!” Get rid of that yoke. Don’t point your finger and say wicked things.
• Jeremiah 11:11This is what the Lord says: I’m going to bring a disaster on them that they can’t escape. Although they will cry out to me, I won’t listen to them.
• Jeremiah 14:12Even if they go without food, I won’t listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won’t be pleased with them. But I will destroy these people with wars, famines, and plagues.”
• Ezekiel 8:18So I will take action because I’m angry, and I won’t have compassion for them or feel sorry for them. Even if they shout in my ears, I won’t listen to them.”
• Micah 3:4Then you will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer you. He will hide his face from you at that time because you have done evil things.

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