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

15Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?” 16So Jesus replied, “My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me. If anyone wants to do God’s will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority. 18The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19Hasn’t Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law! Why do you want 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 replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”
• John 8:31Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples
• Psalms 25:8The Lord is both kind and fair; that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.
• Psalms 119:10With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands!
• Isaiah 35:8A thoroughfare will be there – it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it; it is reserved for those authorized to use it – fools will not stray into it.
• Jeremiah 31:33“But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.
• Hosea 6:3So let us acknowledge him! Let us seek to acknowledge the Lord! He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn, as certainly as the winter rain comes, as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.”
• Micah 4:2Many nations will come, saying, “Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of Jacob’s God, so he can teach us his commands and we can live by his laws.” For Zion will be the source of instruction; the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem.
• Malachi 4:2But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall.
• Matthew 6:22“The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
• Luke 8:15But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.
• Acts 10:1Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort.
• Acts 11:13He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
• Acts 17:11These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so.
• Philippians 3:15Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.

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