John 5:44

The NET Bible®

How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don't seek the praise that comes from the only God?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only

King James Version (1611)
How can ye beleeue, which receiue honour one of another, & seeke not the honour that commeth from God onely?

King James Version
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

English Standard Version
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

New American Standard Bible
"How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

New Century Version
You try to get praise from each other, but you do not try to get the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe?

Amplified Bible
"How can you believe [in Me], when you [seek and] receive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek the glory and approval which comes from the one and only God?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

Legacy Standard Bible
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the only God?

Berean Standard Bible
How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Contemporary English Version
How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don't care about praise that the only God can give!

Complete Jewish Bible
How can you trust? You're busy collecting praise from each other, instead of seeking praise from God only.

Darby Translation
How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and seek not the glory which [comes] from God alone?

Easy-to-Read Version
You like to have praise from each other. But you never try to get the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe?

Geneva Bible (1587)
How can ye beleeue, which receiue honour one of another, and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone?

George Lamsa Translation
How can you believe, when you accept praise one from another, but the praise from God only, you do not want?

Good News Translation
You like to receive praise from one another, but you do not try to win praise from the one who alone is God; how, then, can you believe me?

Lexham English Bible
How are you able to believe, if you accept glory from one another, and do not seek the glory which is from the only God?

Literal Translation
How are you able to believe, you who receive glory from one another, and the glory which is from the only God you do not seek?

American Standard Version
How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?

Bible in Basic English
How is it possible for you to have faith while you take honour one from another and have no desire for the honour which comes from the only God?

Hebrew Names Version
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

International Standard Version
How can you believe when you accept each other's praise and do not look for the praise that comes from the only God?the only One">[fn]John 12:43; Romans 2:29;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
If another should come in his own name, him you would receive. How can you believe, who glory one from another are receiving, and the glory which is from one, Aloha, you seek not ?

Murdock Translation
How can ye believe, who receive glory from one another, and seek not the glory which cometh from God only?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe can ye beleue, whiche receaue honour one of another, and seke not the honour that commeth of God only?

English Revised Version
How can ye believe, which receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?

World English Bible
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
How can ye believe, while ye receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that is from God only?

Weymouth's New Testament
How is it possible for you to believe, while you receive glory from one another and have no desire for the glory that comes from the only God?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Hou moun ye bileue, that resseyuen glorie ech of othere, and ye seken not the glorie `that is of God aloone?

Update Bible Version
How can you believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that [comes] from the only God, you do not seek?

Webster's Bible Translation
How can ye believe, who receive honor one from another, and seek not the honor that [cometh] from God only?

New King James Version
How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

New Living Translation
No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

New Life Bible
How can you believe when you are always wanting honor from each other? And yet you do not look for the honor that comes from the only God.

New Revised Standard
How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How can, ye, believe, - Glory from one another, receiving; and, the glory which is from the only God, are not seeking?

Douay-Rheims Bible
How can you believe, who receive glory one from another: and the glory which is from God alone, you do not seek?

Revised Standard Version
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
How can ye beleve which receave honoure one of another and seke not the honoure that commeth of God only?

Young's Literal Translation
how are ye able -- ye -- to believe, glory from one another receiving, and the glory that [is] from God alone ye seek not?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
How can ye beleue which receaue prayse one of another, and seke not the prayse, that is of God onely?

Mace New Testament (1729)
how can you believe, who are catching at honour one from another, regardless of that glory that comes from God only?

Simplified Cowboy Version
No wonder y'all can't believe. You're too busy standing in a big circle patting each other on the back. You seek glory from each other instead of from God.

Contextual Overview

³¹ "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. ³² There is another who testifies about me, and I know the testimony he testifies about me is true. ³³ You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴ (I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) ³⁵ He was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time in his light. ³⁶ "But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete—the deeds I am now doing—testify about me that the Father has sent me. ³⁷ And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, ³⁸ nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. ³⁹ You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

can: John 3:20, John 8:43, John 12:43, Jeremiah 13:23, Romans 8:7, Romans 8:8, Hebrews 3:12

which: Matthew 23:5, Galatians 5:19-21, Philippians 2:3

and: 1 Samuel 2:30, 2 Chronicles 6:8, Matthew 25:21-23, Luke 19:17, Romans 2:7, Romans 2:10, Romans 2:29, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 10:18, James 2:1, 1 Peter 1:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:4 - and let Numbers 22:37 - General 1 Samuel 15:30 - honour me now 2 Chronicles 26:18 - neither shall it be Psalms 91:15 - honour Psalms 111:10 - his praise Proverbs 25:27 - so Isaiah 43:4 - thou hast been Isaiah 44:18 - cannot Matthew 6:1 - to be Matthew 6:2 - glory Matthew 19:24 - It Matthew 21:25 - Why Luke 9:26 - whosoever John 3:19 - because John 5:40 - ye will not John 5:42 - that John 6:44 - man John 8:37 - because John 9:18 - General John 12:39 - they Acts 8:19 - General 1 Corinthians 2:14 - neither 1 Thessalonians 2:6 - of men 2 Timothy 3:7 - learning 2 Peter 2:14 - that cannot

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another?.... As the Scribes and Pharisees did, who were ambitious of honour and respect from one another, as well as from the common people; doing all they did to be seen of men, and to gain applause among them: choosing the uppermost rooms at feasts, and chief places in the synagogues, and delighting in the pompous title of Rabbi, Rabbi; and were in expectation of the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, when they hoped to be advanced to places of great honour and profit; and all this was an hinderance to them from believing in Christ, who appeared in such an abject form, and made so mean a figure; whose doctrine was so unsuitable to their carnal minds, and whose followers were so poor and contemptible; and besides it was made a law among them, that those who professed him to be the Messiah, should be cast out of the synagogue: hence many who were convinced that he was the Messiah, durst not confess him, lest they should lose their honour and respect among men, which they preferred to the praise of God:

and seek not the honour that cometh from God only; or "from the only God", as the Vulgate Latin; or "from the one God", as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it: the honour that comes from him is, that of being born of him; of being a son or daughter of his, having that new name, which is better than that of sons and daughters of the greatest princes on earth; of being made all glorious within, and clothed with gold of Ophir, with raiment of needlework, with the robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation; of being translated into the spiritual kingdom of Christ, and made kings and priests unto God by him; of being set on the same throne with Christ, having on a crown of life and righteousness, and enjoying a kingdom and glory; being heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; which honour all the saints have, or shall have, and which these men cared not for.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which receive honour one of another - Who are studious of praise, and live for pride, ambition, and vainglory. This desire, Jesus says, was the great reason why they would not believe on him. They were unwilling to renounce their worldly honors, and become the followers of one so humble and unostentatious as he was. They expected a Messiah of pomp and splendor, and would not submit to one so despised and of so lowly a rank. Had the Messiah come, as they expected, with pomp and power, it would have been an honor, in their view, to follow him; as it was, they despised and rejected him. The great reason why multitudes do not believe is their attachment to human honors, or their pride, and vanity, and ambition. These are so strong, that while they continue they cannot and will not believe. They might, however, renounce these things, and then, the obstacles being removed, they would believe. Learn:

1. A man cannot believe the gospel while he is wholly under the influence of ambition. The two are not compatible. The religion of the gospel is humility, and a man who has not that “cannot” be a Christian.

2. Great numbers are deterred from being Christians by pride and ambition. Probably there is no single thing that prevents so really young men from becoming Christians as this passion. The proud and ambitious heart refuses to bow to the humiliating terms of the gospel.

3. Though while a man is under this governing principle he cannot believe the gospel, yet this proves nothing about his ability to lay that aside, and to yield to truth. that is another question. A child cannot open a trunk when he gets on the lid and attempts to raise his own weight and the cover of the trunk too; but that settles nothing about the inquiry whether he might not get off and then open it. The true question is whether a man can or cannot lay aside his ambition and pride, and about that there ought not to be any dispute. No one doubts that it may be done; and if that can be done, he can become a Christian.

Seek not the honour - The praise, the glory, the approbation of God. The honor which comes from men is their praise, flattery, commendation; the honor that comes from God is his approbation for doing his will. God alone can confer the honors of heaven - the reward of having done our duty here. That we should seek, and if we seek that, we shall come to Christ, who is the way and the life.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour, c.] The grand obstacle to the salvation of the scribes and Pharisees was their pride, vanity, and self-love. They lived on each other's praise. If they had acknowledged Christ as the only teacher, they must have given up the good opinion of the multitude and they chose rather to lose their souls than to forfeit their reputation among men! This is the ruin of millions. They would be religious, if religion and worldly honour were connected; but as the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, and their hearts and souls are wedded to the earth, they will not accept the salvation which is offered to them on these terms-Deny thyself: take up thy cross, and follow ME. It is no wonder that we never find persons making any progress in religion who mix with the world, and in any respect regulate their conduct by its anti-Christian customs, maxims, and fashions.

From God only? — Or, from the only God - Παρα του μονου Θεου. Two of the ancient Slavonic versions read, From the only begotten Son of God.