John 8:43
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
John 8:43 in other translations
| BSB | Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. |
|---|---|
| WEB | Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. |
| ASV | Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. |
| YLT | wherefore do ye not know my speech? because ye are not able to hear my word. |
| DARBY | Why do ye not know my speech? Because ye cannot hear my word. |
| BBE | Why are my words not clear to you? It is because your ears are shut to my teaching. |
| Webster | Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. |
What does John 8:43 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 8:42-43
42-43. 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.
Barnes' Notes
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 Jn 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 doctrines is because they cannot bear them. They hate them, and their hatred produces want of candour, a disposition to cavil and to pervert the truth, and an obstinate purpose that it shall not be applied to their case. Hence they embrace every form of false doctrine, and choose error rather than truth, and darkness rather than light. A disposition to believe God is one of the best helps for understanding the Bible.
(q) "even because" Isa 6:9
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:41-47
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…
John 8:43 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for John 8:43
- Romans 8:7-8
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
- John 12:39-40
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
- John 7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
- John 5:43
I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
- Proverbs 28:5
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
- Acts 7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- Jeremiah 6:10
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
- John 6:60
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
- John 8:27
They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
- Isaiah 6:9
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
- Isaiah 44:18
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
- Micah 4:12
But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
- John 8:43
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
- John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 8:43 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | ¿Por qué no reconocéis mi lenguaje? porque no podéis oir mi palabra. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Pourquoi n’entendez-vous pas mon langage? Parce que vous ne pouvez pas entendre ma parole. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Warum verstehet ihr meine Sprache nicht? Weil ihr mein Wort nicht hören könnt. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? Quia non potestis audire sermonem meum. |