Ἰωάννην 1:12

Greek Modern Translation

Οσοι δε εδεχθησαν αυτον, εις αυτους εδωκεν εξουσιαν να γεινωσι τεκνα Θεου, εις τους πιστευοντας εις το ονομα αυτου·

Parallel Translations

SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

Tischendorf 8th Edition
ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον εδωκεν αυτοις εξουσιαν τεκνα θεου γενεσθαι τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα αυτου

Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον εδωκεν αυτοις εξουσιαν τεκνα θεου γενεσθαι τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα αυτου

Byzantine/Majority Text
οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον εδωκεν αυτοις εξουσιαν τεκνα θεου γενεσθαι τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα αυτου

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

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.