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

41No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whyδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• ·τίςtis · which?G5101
• do yeγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• notοὐou · noG3756
• myὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• speechλαλιάlalia · speechG2981
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• yeδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• yeἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056

Cross-references for John 8:43

• John 8:27But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.
• John 5:43For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.
• John 7:17Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
• John 12:39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,
• Proverbs 28:5Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely.
• Isaiah 44:18Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
• Hosea 14:9Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.
• Micah 4:12But they do not know the Lord’s thoughts or understand his plan. These nations don’t know that he is gathering them together to be beaten and trampled like sheaves of grain on a threshing floor.
• Romans 3:11No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
• John 6:60Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”
• Isaiah 6:9And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’
• Jeremiah 6:10To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the Lord. They don’t want to listen at all.
• Acts 7:51“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!
• Romans 8:7For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.

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