John 5:44
New International Version
How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory 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.

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?

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?

Berean Literal Bible
How are you able to believe, receiving glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the only God?

King James Bible
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour 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 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?

NASB 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?

NASB 1977
“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?

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?

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 God?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God.

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?

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!

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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How can you believe when you accept each other's praise and don't look for the praise that comes from the only God?

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?

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?

Majority 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?

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?

New Heart English Bible
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

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

Weymouth 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?

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?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
how are you able—you—to believe, receiving glory from one another, and the glory that [is] from God alone you do not seek?

Berean Literal Bible
How are you able to believe, receiving glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the only God?

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?

Smith's Literal Translation
How can ye believe, receiving glory from one another, and ye seek not the glory that from God alone?
Catholic Translations
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?

Catholic Public Domain Version
How are you able to believe, you who accept glory from one another and yet do not seek the glory that is from God alone?

New American Bible
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?

New Revised Standard Version
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?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
How can you believe, when you accept praise one from another, but the praise from God only, you do not want?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
How can you believe, who are accepting glory one from another, and you are not seeking the glory of The One God?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
How can you believe who receive honor one from another, and seek not the honor that comes from God alone?

Godbey New Testament
How are you able to believe, receiving glory from one another, and do not seek the glory which is with God only?

Haweis New Testament
How can ye believe, who receiving honour one from another, seek not the honour which cometh from God alone?

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

Weymouth 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?

Worrell New Testament
How can ye believe, who receive glory from one another, and the glory which is from God only ye seek not?

Worsley New Testament
How can ye believe, who receive applause from each other, and the glory which is from God only, ye seek not?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Witness of Scripture
43I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.…

Cross References
John 12:43
For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Romans 2:29
No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:6
Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

Matthew 6:1-2
“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. / So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Matthew 23:5-7
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. / They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, / the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

John 7:18
He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood.

John 8:50
I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge.

John 9:24
So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”

Isaiah 42:8
I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.

Isaiah 43:10-11
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come. / I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?

can.

John 3:20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

John 8:43
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

John 12:43
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

which.

Matthew 23:5
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, …

Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

and.

1 Samuel 2:30
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

2 Chronicles 6:8
But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

Matthew 25:21-23
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord…

Jump to Previous
Able Accept Alone Believe Desire Effort Faith Glory Honor Honour Obtain Possible Praise Receive Receiving Seek
Jump to Next
Able Accept Alone Believe Desire Effort Faith Glory Honor Honour Obtain Possible Praise Receive Receiving Seek
John 5
1. Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years.
10. The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it.
17. He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father,
31. of John,
36. of his works,
39. and of the Scriptures, who he is.














How can you believe
This phrase challenges the very foundation of faith. The Greek word for "believe" is "pisteuō," which implies trust and reliance. In the context of this verse, Jesus questions the authenticity of belief that is influenced by human approval rather than divine truth. The rhetorical nature of the question suggests an impossibility of genuine faith when it is rooted in human validation.

if you accept glory from one another
The term "glory" here is translated from the Greek word "doxa," which can mean honor, praise, or reputation. In the historical context of first-century Judea, social status and honor were highly valued. Jesus criticizes the religious leaders for seeking approval and accolades from their peers rather than from God. This pursuit of mutual admiration creates a barrier to true faith, as it shifts focus from divine to human standards.

yet do not seek the glory
The contrast here is stark. The Greek word for "seek" is "zēteō," which implies an active pursuit or desire. Jesus points out the lack of effort in pursuing divine approval. This phrase calls believers to examine their priorities and motivations, urging them to actively desire the honor that comes from God alone, which is eternal and unchanging.

that comes from the only God
The phrase "the only God" emphasizes the monotheistic belief central to Jewish and Christian faiths. The Greek word "monos" means "only" or "alone," underscoring the exclusivity and supremacy of God. In a world filled with competing allegiances and distractions, this phrase serves as a reminder of the singular source of true glory and honor. It calls believers to align their lives with the will and character of the one true God, whose approval is of ultimate importance.

(44) How can ye believe . . .?--The emphasis is again on the pronoun. It is not possible that ye should believe in Me, as our whole position is entirely different. Ye receive glory from men. I do not (John 5:41). I am come in My Father's name (John 5:43). Ye do not seek the glory which is from God. We are, then, in wholly distinct spheres of life, and action, and thought. To believe would be to give up your whole present life. While ye are what ye are, it cannot be.

The marginal reference compares the parallel thought of John 12:43. This is obscured in the English version by a difference of words for the same Greek word. Here, as in John 5:41, it would be more exact to read glory for "honour," and in John 12:43, glory for "praise." . . .

Verse 44. - How can ye believe, seeing that ye receive glory one from another, and ye seek not the glory that cometh from the only God? The difficulties of faith in himself multiply as he proceeds. First, he insisted that he had searched their hearts, and found there none of that elementary "love of God" which is the prime condition of knowledge or faith. Then he showed that an appreciation on their part of the type of character antithetic to his own, i.e. of the man who comes in his own name and seeks his glory from men, must blind them to that which is most characteristic of himself. They will receive the prophet, the pseudo-Christ, for the very reason that makes his own mission so unpalatable. He strikes right across their taste, their passion, their prejudice. He now lays down a new or modified statement of one of the prime conditions of spiritual faith. There is a universal desire for δόξα, glory, of some sort. The original meaning of δόξα here almost forces itself into the text. Δόξα "opinion," thought, and the good opinion which one person may entertain with reference to another. The glory of a Greek citizen was the good opinion of his fellow citizens or fellow countrymen. God's "glory" is the universal judgment of all intelligences, including his own concerning himself. The highest "glory" of man is the approval of Almighty God; the "opinion" which is absolutely true and is not mingled or contaminated with any flattering fictions. The minds which deliberately ignore this highest and only true source of glory, and substitute for it the glory of the ignorant plaudits and unreal approval, and unhesitating homage of the clique to which they belong, are m a moral condition incapacitating them to believe in the Christ. How should they? How can they? It is not possible for that man to believe Christ at all whose mind is so befogged, whose moral judgments are so dislocated. "The only God (παρὰ τοῦ μόνου Θεου), (see John 17:3; Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 6:15). The use of this epithet in the Fourth Gospel is of singular value. Moreover, in this very connection the Son is so exalted above the world, and the Father comes so close to man in Christ, that we cannot wonder that Gnosticism and Arianism rapidly evolved a Ditheism of great peril to the conscience. The Lord, notwithstanding the lifting of his humanity to the throne of universal judgment, and the lifting of his Sonship into the bosom of God, on more than one occasion reminds his hearers of the unity, the solity, of Almighty God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
How
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

can
δύνασθε (dynasthe)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

you
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

believe
πιστεῦσαι (pisteusai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

if you accept
λαμβάνοντες (lambanontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

glory
δόξαν (doxan)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1391: From the base of dokeo; glory, in a wide application.

from
παρὰ (para)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

one another,
ἀλλήλων (allēlōn)
Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 240: One another, each other. Genitive plural from allos reduplicated; one another.

yet
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

do not seek
ζητεῖτε (zēteite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

glory
δόξαν (doxan)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1391: From the base of dokeo; glory, in a wide application.

that [comes]
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

from
παρὰ (para)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

only
μόνου (monou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3441: Only, solitary, desolate. Probably from meno; remaining, i.e. Sole or single; by implication, mere.

God?
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.


Links
John 5:44 NIV
John 5:44 NLT
John 5:44 ESV
John 5:44 NASB
John 5:44 KJV

John 5:44 BibleApps.com
John 5:44 Biblia Paralela
John 5:44 Chinese Bible
John 5:44 French Bible
John 5:44 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: John 5:44 How can you believe who receive glory (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 5:43
Top of Page
Top of Page