John 5:30

Amplified Bible

"I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just (fair, righteous, unbiased), because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of Him who sent Me.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
"I can do nothing alone. I judge only the way I am told. And my judgment is right, because I am not trying to please myself. I want only to please the one who sent me.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I can of myne awne selfe do nothinge at all. As I heare I iudge and my iudgemet is iust because I seke not myne awne will but the will of ye father which hath sent me.

Hebrew Names Version
I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

International Standard Version
I can do nothing on my own accord. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me."Matthew 26:39; John 4:34; 5:19; 6:38;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
"I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.

New Century Version
"I can do nothing alone. I judge only the way I am told, so my judgment is fair. I don't try to please myself, but I try to please the One who sent me.

Update Bible Version
I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Webster's Bible Translation
I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me.

English Standard Version
"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

World English Bible
I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I can do nothing of myself: as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just: because I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Weymouth's New Testament
"I can of my own self do nothing. As I am bidden, so I judge; and mine is a just judgement, because it is not my own will that guides me, but the will of Him who sent me.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y may no thing do of my silf, but as Y here, Y deme, and my doom is iust, for Y seke not my wille, but the wille of the fadir that sente me.

English Revised Version
I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Berean Standard Bible
I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Contemporary English Version
I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don't just try to please myself.

American Standard Version
I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Bible in Basic English
Of myself I am unable to do anything: as the voice comes to me so I give a decision: and my decision is right because I have no desire to do what is pleasing to myself, but only what is pleasing to him who sent me.

Complete Jewish Bible
I can't do a thing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is right; because I don't seek my own desire, but the desire of the one who sent me.

Darby Translation
I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.

Etheridge Translation
I CANNOT of the will of myself do any thing; but as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just; for I seek not my will, but the will of Him who sent me.

Murdock Translation
I can do nothing of my own pleasure; but as I hear, so I judge. And my judgment is just; for I seek not my own pleasure, but the pleasure of him that sent me.

King James Version (1611)
I can of mine owne selfe doe nothing: as I heare, I iudge: and my iudgement is iust, because I seeke not mine owne will, but the will of the Father, which hath sent me.

New Living Translation
I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

New Life Bible
"I can do nothing by Myself. I say who is guilty only as My Father tells Me. That way, what I say is right, because I am not trying to do what I want to do. I am doing what the Father, Who sent Me, wants Me to do.

New Revised Standard
"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Geneva Bible (1587)
I can doe nothing of mine owne selfe: as I heare, I iudge: and my iudgement is iust, because I seeke not mine owne will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me.

George Lamsa Translation
I can do nothing of myself; but as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just; for I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I, cannot be doing, of myself, a single thing, - Just as I hear, I judge; and, my judging, is, just, - because I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I cannot of myself do any thing. As I hear, so I judge. And my judgment is just: because I seek not my own will. but the will of him that sent me.

Revised Standard Version
"I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I can of mine owne selfe do nothing: As I heare I iudge, and my iudgemet is iuste, because I seke not myne owne wyll, but the wyll of the father whiche hath sent me.

Good News Translation
"I can do nothing on my own authority; I judge only as God tells me, so my judgment is right, because I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.

Christian Standard Bible®
“I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment

King James Version
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Lexham English Bible
I am able to do nothing from myself. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.

Literal Translation
I am able to do nothing from Myself; just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, for I do not seek My will, but the will of the One sending Me, the Father.

Young's Literal Translation
`I am not able of myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I can do nothinge of my self. As I heare, so I iudge: & my iudgmet is iust. For I seke not myne owne wyll, but the wyll of the father which hath sent me.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Of my self I can do nothing: according to my instructions I judge: and my judgment is just; because I do not consult my own will, but the will of the father who hath sent me.

THE MESSAGE
"I can't do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I'm not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness. But an independent witness confirms me, the most reliable Witness of all. Furthermore, you all saw and heard John, and he gave expert and reliable testimony about me, didn't he?

New English Translation
I can do nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.

New King James Version
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But I do not judge unfairly. I only judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is fair, and they will get what they deserve. I only carry out the will of my Father who sent me, not my own.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Legacy Standard Bible
"I can do nothing from Myself. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working." ¹⁸This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath [from their viewpoint], but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. ¹⁹So Jesus answered them by saying, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself [of His own accord], unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever things the Father does, the Son [in His turn] also does in the same way. ²⁰"For the Father dearly loves the Son and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be filled with wonder. ²¹"Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life [and allows them to live on], even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. ²²"For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment [that is, the prerogative of judging] to the Son [placing it entirely into His hands], ²³so that all will give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] the one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent Him. ²⁴"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life. ²⁵"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a time is coming and is [here] now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live. ²⁶"For just as the Father has life in Himself [and is self-existent], even so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself [and be self-existent].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

can: John 5:19, John 8:28, John 8:42, John 14:10

I judge: John 8:15, John 8:16, Genesis 18:25, Psalms 96:13, Isaiah 11:3, Isaiah 11:4, Romans 2:2, Romans 2:5

because: John 4:34, John 6:38, John 8:50, John 17:4, John 18:11, Psalms 40:7, Psalms 40:8, Matthew 26:39, Romans 15:3, Hosea 10:7-10

Reciprocal: Numbers 16:28 - of mine 1 Kings 3:9 - to judge Isaiah 28:6 - for a spirit Isaiah 42:3 - he shall Daniel 11:36 - do Mark 14:36 - nevertheless Luke 22:42 - not John 7:16 - but John 8:29 - for John 8:38 - speak John 10:36 - sent John 12:49 - General Galatians 1:4 - according Hebrews 10:7 - Lo

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I can of mine own self do nothing,.... This is the conclusion of the matter, the winding up of the several arguments concerning the Son's equality to the Father, and the application of the whole to Christ. He had before been chiefly speaking of the Son, in relation to the Father, as if he was a third person; but now he applies what he had said of the Son to himself: and it is as if he had said, I am the Son that can do nothing separate from the Father, and contrary to his will, but do all things in conjunction with him; who sees all that he does, by being in him, and co-operating with him, and do the selfsame. I am the Son to whom the Father shows, and by whom he does, all he does; and to whom he will show, and by whom he will do, as a co-efficient with him, greater works than what, as yet, he has done: I am the Son that quickens whom he pleases, and to whom all judgment is committed, and have the same honour the Father has: I am he that quickens dead sinners now, and will raise all the dead at the last day; and have authority to execute judgment on all mankind: and,

as I hear, I judge; not as he hears men, or, according to the evidence men will give one of another; for it is denied of him, that he will proceed in judgment in this manner, Isaiah 11:3, but as he hears his Father; for being in his bosom, and one with him, as he sees, and knows all he does, his whole plan of operations, and acts according to them; so he hears, knows, and is perfectly acquainted with all his counsels, purposes, and rules of judgment, and never deviates from them. Hearing here signifies perfect knowledge, and understanding of a cause; and so it is used in the Jewish writings, in matters of difficulty, that come before a court of judicature h:

"there were three courts of judicature; one that sat at the gate of the mountain of the house; and one that sat at the gate of the court; and another that sat in the paved chamber: they go (first) to that which is at the gate of the mountain of the house, and say, so have I expounded, and so have the companions expounded; so have I taught, and so have the companions (or colleagues) taught: שמעו

אם, "if they hear", they say; (i.e. as one of their commentators explains it i, if they know the law, and hear, or understand the sense of the law; in such a case they declare what they know;) if not, they go to them that are at the gate of the court, and say (as before).--And, "if they hear", they tell them; but if not, they go to the great sanhedrim in the paved chamber, from whence goes forth the law to all Israel.''

Christ was now before the great sanhedrim, and speaks to them in their own language, and as a superior judge to them:

and my judgment is just; in the administration of the affairs of his church, which are done in the strictest justice; just and true are all his ways, as King of saints; and in the execution of the last judgment, which will be in righteousness and truth; the judgment he passes must be right, since it is according to that perfect knowledge he has of his Father's will, which is an infallible rule of judgment:

because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me; that is, he did not seek to gratify his own will, as distinct from his Father's, or in opposition to it; for he had no private end to answer, or separate interest, or advantage to pursue; and seeing therefore he acted according to his Father's will, and not his own, as contrary to that; his judgment must be just, and the sentence he passes right; since the will of God is indisputably such. The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, the Alexandrian copy, and two of Beza's copies, leave out the word "father", without altering or hurting the sense at all.

h Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 2. i Maimon. in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of mine own self - See John 5:19. The Messiah, the Mediator, does nothing without the concurrence and the authority of God. Such is the nature of the union subsisting between them, that he does nothing independently of God. Whatever he does, he does according to the will of God.

As I hear I judge - To “hear” expresses the condition of one who is commissioned or instructed. Thus John 8:26, “I speak to the world those things which I have “heard” of him;” John 8:28, “As the Father hath taught me, I speak those things.” Jesus here represents himself as commissioned, taught, or sent of God. When he says, “as I ‘hear,’” he refers to those things which the Father had “showed” him John 5:20 - that is, he came to communicate the will of God; to show to man what God wished man to know.

I judge - I determine or decide. This was true respecting the institutions and doctrines of religion, and it will be true respecting the sentence which he will pass on mankind at the day of judgment. He will decide their destiny according to what the Father wills and wishes - that is, according to justice.

Because I seek ... - This does not imply that his own judgment would be wrong if he sought his own will, but that he had no “private” ends, no selfish views, no improper bias. He came not to aggrandize himself, or to promote his own views, but he came to do the will of God. Of course his decision would be impartial and unbiased, and there is every security that it will be according to truth. See Luke 22:42, where he gave a memorable instance, in the agony of the garden, of his submission to his Father’s will.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 30. I can of mine own self do nothing — Because of my intimate union with God. John 5:19; John 5:19.

I seek not mine own will — I do not, I cannot attempt to do any thing without God. This, that is, the Son of man, the human nature which is the temple of my Divinity, John 1:14, is perfectly subject to the Deity that dwells in it. In this respect our blessed Lord is the perfect pattern of all his followers. In every thing their wills should submit to the will of their heavenly Father. Nothing is more common than to hear people say, I will do it because I choose. He who has no better reason to give for his conduct than his own will shall in the end have the same reason to give for his eternal destruction. "I followed my own will, in opposition to the will of God, and now I am plunged in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone."

Reader, God hath sent thee also to do his will: his will is that thou shouldst abandon thy sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus. Hast thou yet done it?