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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of John 7:17

15The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this Man become learned, not having been educated?” 16So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself. 18The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 19“Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you seeking 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

• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• anyoneτιςtis · oneG5100
• is willingθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• to doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• His willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• he will knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• the teachingδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
• whetherπότεροςpoteron · whetherG4220
• it is of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• orἤē · orG2228
• I am speakingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• from Myselfἐμαυτοῦemautou emautō emauton · myselfG1683

Cross-references for John 7:17

• John 1:46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good be from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
• John 8:31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples;
• Psalms 25:8The Lord is good and upright; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
• Psalms 119:10With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
• Isaiah 35:8A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for the one who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it.
• Jeremiah 31:33“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
• Hosea 6:3So let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, As the spring rain waters the earth.”
• Micah 4:2Many nations will come and say, “Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will 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 will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and frolic like calves from the stall.
• Matthew 6:22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.
• Luke 8:15But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
• Acts 10:1Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,
• Acts 11:13And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send some men to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
• Acts 17:11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
• Philippians 3:15Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well;

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