John 7:17
If any man¹ will² do³ his⁴ will⁵,
he shall know of the⁶ doctrine⁷,
whether⁸ it be of⁹ God,
or¹⁰ [whether] I speak¹¹ of myself.
¹) Some or any person
²) Will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design
³) Make, manufacture, construct, or do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.
⁴) He, she, it, they, them, same. Used of the third person, and of the other persons.
⁵) An act of will, will; plur: wishes, desires.
⁶) Literally: my.
⁷) Teaching, doctrine, what is taught, instruction.
⁸) Which of two, whether.
⁹) From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.
¹⁰) Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.
¹¹) To talk, i.e. Utter words.
Study
Other translations
New International Version
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
New Living Translation
Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
English Standard Version
If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
Berean Literal Bible
If anyone desires to do His will, he will know concerning the teaching, whether it is from God, or I speak from Myself.
New American Standard Bible
If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself.
Amplified Bible
If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is of God or whether I speak on My own accord and by My own authority.
Young’s Literal Translation
if any one may will to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is of God, or — I do speak from myself.
Cross References
Psalm 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.
Psalm 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.
Proverbs 3:32
for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
Proverbs 28:5
Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD comprehend fully.
Daniel 12:10
Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
John 3:21
But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”
John 8:43
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
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If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.
Better, If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching.
The stress is upon “will,” which in our version reads, as if it were only the auxiliary verb.
It is not DEED, which is the outcome of faith; but WILL, which precedes it, that is here spoken of. This human will to do the divine will is the condition of knowing it.
The words are unlimited and far-reaching in their meaning.
Those who heard them would naturally understand them, as it was intended they should, of the divine will expressed in the Law and the Prophets (John 7:19), but they include the will of God revealed, more or less clearly, to all men and in all times.
Our thoughts dwell naturally on representative lives, such as those of Saul the Pharisee, Cornelius the centurion, Justin the philosopher; but the truth holds good for every honest heart in every walk of life.
The “any man” of Christ’s own words excludes NONE from its reach, and the voice of comfort and of hope is spoken alike to ALL in our ignorance, fears, doubts — that he who indeed is willing to do God’s will, shall not fail to know, now or in the life to come, of the teaching whether it be of God.
Prayer suggestions
▪︎ Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you in new ways.
▪︎ Ask the Lord to help you in seeking to do His will.
▪︎ Ask the Lord to strengthen you to follow the Christ.
▪︎ Ask the Lord to help you in following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
▪︎ Ask the Lord to lead you as you seek to increase your knowledge of Him
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Website 2: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
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