John 8:43

John 8:43 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
• New International Version (NIV)Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

Context of John 8:43

41You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; we have one Father: God.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for I have not even come on My own, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot listen to My word. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I say the truth, you do not believe Me.

John 8:43 word by word

διὰ τί τὴν λαλιὰν τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ γινώσκετε; ὅτι οὐ δύνασθε ἀκούειν τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐμόν.Read the interlinear

• Whyδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• do you not understandγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• whatλαλιάlalia · speechG2981
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• you cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• you cannotοὐou · noG3756
• listenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• to My wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056

Cross-references for John 8:43

• John 8:27They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father.
• John 5:43I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
• John 7:17If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself.
• John 12:39For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
• Proverbs 28:5Evil people do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand everything.
• Isaiah 44:18They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.
• Hosea 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But wrongdoers will stumble in them.
• Micah 4:12But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, And they do not understand His plan; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
• Romans 3:11There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God;
• John 6:60So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?”
• Isaiah 6:9And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
• Jeremiah 6:10To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed And they cannot listen. Behold, the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke; They take no delight in it.
• Acts 7:51“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
• Romans 8:7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Commentaries on John 8:43

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? - , This my mode of speaking - when illustrating spiritual by natural things: refers to the manner of speaking; , to the matter or subject on which he spoke. For , the Codex Bezae had originally : why do ye not acknowledge this Truth of mine? A few other MSS. agree in this reading. Because ye cannot hear my word - That is, ye cannot bear my doctrine: it comes too close to you; it searches your hearts, detects your…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 43Why do ye not … - My meaning is clear, if you were disposed to understand me. Even because ye cannot hear my word - The word “hear” in this place is to be understood in the sense of bear or tolerate, as in John 6:60. His doctrine was offensive to them. They hated it, and hence they perverted his meaning, and were resolved not to understand him. Their pride, vanity, and wickedness opposed it. The reason why sinners do not understand the Bible and its…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-47Verses 41-47 Satan prompts men to excesses by which they murder themselves and others, while what he puts into the mind tends to ruin men's souls. He is the great promoter of falsehood of every kind. He is a liar, all his temptations are carried on by his calling evil good, and good evil, and promising freedom in sin. He is the author of all lies; whom liars resemble and obey, with whom all liars shall have their portion for ever. The special lusts of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-59The debate about whether Jesus is the Messiah continues from 7:52. Jesus remained at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. During the feast, the conflicts Jesus encountered in chapter 7 continued and intensified.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 42-4342-43. If God were your Father, ye would love me--"If ye had anything of His moral image, as children have their father's likeness, ye would love Me, for I am immediately of Him and directly from Him." But "My speech" (meaning His peculiar style of expressing Himself on these subjects) is unintelligible to you because ye cannot take in the truth which it conveys.Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:43

• Blindness
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury
• God
• Heredity
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on John 8

• 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