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 God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

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 27:8For what hope do the godless have when God cuts them off and takes away their life?
• Job 35:12And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride.
• Job 42:8So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.”
• Psalms 18:41They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
• Psalms 34:15The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
• Psalms 66:18If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
• Proverbs 1:28“When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
• Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
• Proverbs 21:13Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.
• Proverbs 28:9God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law.
• Isaiah 1:15When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
• Isaiah 58:9Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
• Jeremiah 11:11Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am going to bring calamity upon them, and they will not escape. Though they beg for mercy, I will not listen to their cries.
• Jeremiah 14:12When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.”
• Ezekiel 8:18Therefore, I will respond in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them. And though they cry for mercy, I will not listen.”
• Micah 3:4Then you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to answer? After all the evil you have done, he won’t even look at you!”

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