John 1:12

George Lamsa Translation

But those who received him, to them he gave power to become sons of God, especially to those who believed in his name;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But some people did accept him. They believed in him, and he gave them the right to become children of God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But as meny as receaved him to them he gave power to be the sonnes of God in yt they beleved on his name:

Hebrew Names Version
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

International Standard Version
However, to all who received him, to those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God's children,Isaiah 56:5; Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:26; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:1;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,

New Century Version
But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.

Update Bible Version
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those that believe on his name:

Webster's Bible Translation
But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

English Standard Version
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

World English Bible
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But as many as received him, to them gave he privilege to become the sons of God, to them that believe in his name:

Weymouth's New Testament
But all who have received Him, to them--that is, to those who trust in His name--He has given the privilege of becoming children of God;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But hou many euer resseyueden hym, he yaf to hem power to be maad the sones of God, to hem that bileueden in his name; the whiche not of bloodis,

English Revised Version
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Berean Standard Bible
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-

Contemporary English Version
Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God.

Amplified Bible
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—

American Standard Version
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Bible in Basic English
To all those who did so take him, however, he gave the right of becoming children of God--that is, to those who had faith in his name:

Complete Jewish Bible
But to as many as did receive him, to those who put their trust in his person and power, he gave the right to become children of God,

Darby Translation
but as many as received him, to them gave he [the] right to be children of God, to those that believe on his name;

Etheridge Translation
But they who received him, he gave to them power, that the sons of Aloha they should become, to those who believe in his name.

Murdock Translation
But such as received him, to them gave he the prerogative to be children of God; [fn] to them that believe on his name;

King James Version (1611)
But as many as receiued him, to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue on his Name:

New Living Translation
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

New Life Bible
He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him. He gave this to those who put their trust in His name.

New Revised Standard
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,

Geneva Bible (1587)
But as many as receiued him, to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his Name.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, as many as did receive him, he gave, unto them, authority, children of God, to become, - unto them who were believing on his name:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.

Revised Standard Version
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But as many as receaued hym, to them gaue he power to be the sonnes of God, euen them that beleued on his name.

Good News Translation
Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children.

Christian Standard Bible®
But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

King James Version
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Lexham English Bible
But as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave to them authority to become children of God,

Literal Translation
But as many as received Him, to them He gave authority to become children of God, to the ones believing into His name,

Young's Literal Translation
but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God -- to those believing in his name,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But as many as receaued him, to them gaue he power to be the children of God: euen soch as beleue in his name.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but to as many as received him, and believed on him, he granted the privilege of being the sons of God.

New English Translation
But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God's children

New King James Version
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Simplified Cowboy Version
But because of his love, he offered the chance for every cowboy and cowgirl to become one of God's kids just by believing in him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Legacy Standard Bible
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Contextual Overview

⁵ And the same light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that every man might believe by means of him. ⁸ He was not the light, but to testify concerning the light. ⁹ He was the true light, which lighteth every man who came into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was under his hand, and yet the world knew him not. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. ¹² But those who received him, to them he gave power to become sons of God, especially to those who believed in his name; ¹³ Those who are not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, a glory like that of the firstborn of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

received: Matthew 10:40, Matthew 18:5, Colossians 2:6

to them: Isaiah 56:5, Jeremiah 3:19, Hosea 1:10, Romans 8:14, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 4:6, 2 Peter 1:4, 1 John 3:1

power: or, the right, or privilege

even: John 2:23, John 3:18, John 20:31, Matthew 12:21, Acts 3:16, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 5:12

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 14:1 - the children 2 Samuel 7:24 - art become Psalms 87:5 - of Zion Isaiah 53:1 - Who Matthew 13:38 - the good Mark 4:8 - fell Mark 16:16 - that believeth and Luke 8:8 - other John 3:15 - whosoever John 3:36 - that believeth on John 8:47 - General John 20:17 - your Father Acts 16:31 - Believe Acts 18:27 - believed Romans 5:11 - by whom Romans 9:16 - General Romans 10:10 - For with Galatians 4:5 - that we Galatians 4:31 - we Ephesians 1:5 - unto Ephesians 2:8 - that Ephesians 5:1 - as Philippians 1:29 - not Colossians 2:12 - the faith 1 Timothy 1:15 - worthy 1 John 5:13 - believe

Cross-References

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas; and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:11
And God said, Let the earth bring forth vegetation, the herb yielding seed after its kind, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, wherein is their seed, upon the earth; and it was so.

Genesis 1:24
Then God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it was so.

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

Isaiah 61:11
For as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes the seed which is sown in it to spring forth, so the LORD God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Mark 4:28
For the earth causes it to yield fruit; and yet first it becomes a blade of grass, then an ear, and at last a full grain in the ear.

Luke 6:44
For every tree is known by its own fruits. For they do not gather figs from thistles, nor gather grapes from a bramble bush.

2 Corinthians 9:10
Now he who gives seed to the sower, and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed, and cause the fruits of your righteousness to grow;

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived; God is not deceived: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But as many as received him,.... This is explained, in the latter part of the text, by believing in his name; for faith is a receiving him as the word, and Son of God, as the Messiah, Saviour, and Redeemer; a receiving grace out of his fulness, and every blessing from him, as a justifying righteousness, pardon of sin, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified; for though the generality rejected him, there were some few that received him:

to them gave he power to become the sons of God; as such were very early called, in distinction from the children of men, or of the world; see Genesis 6:2. To be the sons of God is a very special favour, a great blessing, and high honour: saints indeed are not in so high a sense the sons of God as Christ is; nor in so low a sense as angels and men in common are; nor in such sense as civil magistrates; nor merely by profession of religion; much less by natural descent; but by adopting grace: and in this, Christ, the word, has a concern, as all the three divine persons have. The Father predestinated men to the adoption of children, secures this blessing for them in the covenant of his grace, and puts them among the children, and assigns them a goodly heritage: the Spirit, and who is therefore called the spirit of adoption, discovers and applies this blessing to them, and witnesses to their spirits that they are the children of God: and Christ, the word, or Son of God, not only espoused their persons, and in time assumed their nature, and by the redemption of them opened a way for their reception of the adoption of children; but actually bestows upon them the "power", as it is here called, of becoming the sons of God: by which is meant, not a power of free will to make themselves the sons of God, if they will make use of it; but it signifies the honour and dignity conferred on such persons: so Nonnus calls it, "the heavenly honour"; as indeed, what can be a greater? It is more honourable than to be a son or daughter of the greatest potentate on earth: and it is expressive of its being a privilege; for so it is an undeserved and distinguishing one, and is attended with many other privileges; for such are of God's household and family, and are provided for by him; have liberty of access unto him; are Christ's free men, and are heirs to an incorruptible inheritance. This is a privilege that excels all others, even justification and remission of sins; and is an everlasting one: and it also intends the open right which believers have unto this privilege, and their claim of it: hence it follows,

even to them that believe in his name; that is, in himself, in Christ, the word: the phrase is explanative of the former part of the verse, and is a descriptive and manifestative character of the sons of God; for though the elect of God, by virtue of electing grace, and the covenant of grace, are the children of God before faith; and were so considered in the gift of them to Christ, and when he came into the world to gather them together, and save them; and so, antecedent to the Spirit of God, being sent down into their hearts, to make this known to them; yet no man can know his adoption, nor enjoy the comfort of it, or claim his interest in it, until he believes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To as many as received him - The great mass; the people; the scribes and Pharisees rejected him. A few in his lifetime received him, and many more after his death. “To receive him,” here, means to “believe” on him. This is expressed at the end of the verse.

Gave he power - This is more appropriately rendered in the margin by the word “right” or “privilege.” Compare Acts 1:7; Acts 5:4; Rom 9:21; 1 Corinthians 7:37; 1Co 8:9; 1 Corinthians 9:4-5.

Sons of God - Children of God by adoption. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. Christians are called sons of God:

1. Because they are “adopted” by Him, 1 John 3:1.
2. Because they are “like Him;” they resemble Him and have His spirit.
3. They are united to the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, are regarded by Him as his brethren Matthew 25:40, and are therefore regarded as the children of the Most High.

On his name - This is another way of saying believeth in “him.” The “name” of a person is often put for the person himself, John 2:23; John 3:18; 1 John 5:13. From this verse we learn:

1. That to be a child of God is a privilege - far more so than to be the child of any human being, though in the highest degree rich, or learned, or honored. Christians are therefore more honored than any other persons.
2. God gave them this privilege. It is not by their own works or deserts; it is because God chose to impart this blessing to them, Ephesians 2:8; John 15:16.
3. This favor is given only to those who believe on him. All others are the children of the wicked one, and no one who has not “confidence in God” can be regarded as his child. No parent would acknowledge one for his child, or approve of him, who had no confidence in him, who doubted or denied all he said, and who despised his character. Yet the sinner constantly does this toward God, and he cannot, therefore, be called his Son.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 1:12. Gave he power — εξουσιαν, Privilege, honour, dignity, or right. He who is made a child of God enjoys the greatest privilege which the Divine Being can confer on this side eternity. Those who accept Jesus Christ, as he is offered to them in the Gospel, have, through his blood, a right to this sonship; for by that sacrifice this blessing was purchased; and the fullest promises of God confirm it to all who believe. And those who are engrafted in the heavenly family have the highest honour and dignity to which it is possible for a human soul to arrive. What an astonishing thought is this! The sinner, who was an heir to all God's curses, has, through the sacrifice of Jesus, a claim on the mercy of the Most High, and a right to be saved! Even justice itself, on the ground of its holy and eternal nature, gives salvation to the vilest who take refuge in this atonement; for justice has nothing to grant, or Heaven to give, which the blood of the Son of God has not merited.