John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that God’s listening is tied to sincere worship and obedience, not just a general concept of prayer. The man implicitly argues that the miracle Jesus performed demonstrates an intimate connection with God, proving Jesus isn’t the kind of "sinner" they claim, but someone whose prayers are heard because he honors God.
The religious leaders, determined to discredit Jesus, re-question the man Jesus healed. They try to pressure him into recanting his testimony by urging him to "give glory to God" and reiterating that Jesus must be a sinner. The formerly blind man, however, stands firm, using their own understanding of God's listening to make a powerful argument for Jesus' divine connection.
The religious leaders accused Jesus of being a sinner. But when the formerly blind man uses the word "sinner," he means something very specific. What's the difference?
The leaders in John 9 used "sinner" as a broad brushstroke, implying Jesus was wicked or an outcast. However, the formerly blind man, echoing their own words from John 9:24, uses "sinner" in a particular way.
This verse highlights that the man is using "sinner" to refer to someone who is defiant, deceitful, or an outright rejector of God's ways – not just anyone who sins.
This verse lays out a stark contrast: God either listens to you or He doesn't. What determines which side you're on?
The core of this verse is the conditionality of divine attention. It's not arbitrary; it's tied to our relationship with God.
Understand the original words
hamartōlos · Greek Noun/Adjective
Refers to people who persistently practice evil and live in rebellion against God's law. In this context, it implies those outside of God's favor or covenant relationship.
theosebēs · Greek Noun
One who shows reverence, honor, and adoration toward God, often through acts of devotion and obedience. It implies a life aligned with God's character and requirements.
thelēma · Greek Noun
Divine purpose or command; acting in accordance with the moral laws and specific instructions revealed by God. Obedience is the practical evidence of knowing and fearing God.
The man's declaration reflects a common Jewish understanding that God favors those who live righteously and obediently. This belief was amplified by the intense religious debates and expectations of the time, setting the stage for Jesus' ministry.
c. 150 BC - 1st Century AD
Rise of Sectarianism and Religious Debates
During the Second Temple period, Jewish society saw increasing religious diversity and often heated debates between different groups, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, regarding the interpretation of the Law and acceptable religious practice.
Early 1st Century AD
Jesus' Public Ministry and Miracles
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing the sick, and performing numerous miracles, drawing large crowds and attracting the attention of both followers and religious authorities.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Healing of the Man Born Blind
Jesus encounters a man blind from birth and, in a deliberate act, heals him on the Sabbath. This miracle becomes a focal point of conflict with the religious leaders.
c. AD 27-30
Confrontation with Religious Authorities
The religious leaders interrogate the man healed of blindness, attempting to discredit Jesus and understand how the miracle occurred. They ultimately cast the man out of the synagogue.
This verse directly supports the idea that God doesn't hear those who harbor sin in their hearts, aligning with the argument that He listens to those who do His will.
Isaiah 1:15This passage emphasizes God's refusal to hear the prayers of those who lift their hands in worship but are full of violence and wrongdoing, reinforcing the distinction made in John 9:31.
Proverbs 15:29This proverb states that the Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayer of the righteous, providing Old Testament backing for the principle that God's ear is open to those who live according to His will.
Matthew 7:7-8Jesus' promise that 'everyone who asks receives' is often understood in the context of asking in accordance with God's will, which echoes the sentiment that God hears those who are His worshippers and do His will.
1 John 3:22This New Testament passage clearly states that we receive from God whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him, directly paralleling the condition for being heard mentioned in John 9:31.
barnesJohn 9:31: "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."
Now we know - That is, it is an admitted or conceded point. No one calls it into question. God heareth not - When a miracle was performed it was customary to invoke the aid of God. Jesus often did this himself, and it was by his power only that prophets and apostles could perform miracles. The word "heareth" in this place is to be understood as referring to such case…
vincentJohn 9:31: "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."
We knowHere the pronoun is not expressed, and the we is not emphatic, like the pronouns in John 9:24, John 9:29, but expresses the common information of all concerning a familiar fact.A worshipper of God (θεοσεβὴς)Only here in the New Testament. The kindred word, θεοσέβεια, godliness, occurs only at 1 Timothy 2:10. Compounded with Θεός, God, and σέβομαι, to worsh…
The verse highlights that God’s listening is tied to sincere worship and obedience, not just a general concept of prayer. The man implicitly argues that the miracle Jesus performed demonstrates an intimate connection with God, proving Jesus isn’t the kind of "sinner" they claim, but someone whose prayers are heard because he honors God.
The religious leaders, determined to discredit Jesus, re-question the man Jesus healed. They try to pressure him into recanting his testimony by urging him to "give glory to God" and reiterating that Jesus must be a sinner. The formerly blind man, however, stands firm, using their own understanding of God's listening to make a powerful argument for Jesus' divine connection.
The religious leaders, determined to discredit Jesus, re-question the man Jesus healed. They try to pressure him into recanting his testimony by urging him to "give glory to God" and reiterating that Jesus must be a sinner. The formerly blind man, however, stands firm, using their own understanding of God's listening to make a powerful argument for Jesus' divine connection.
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This isn't a statement about God limiting His grace to the perfect, but about the nature of genuine connection. A heart set against God will not find God listening, while a heart surrendered to Him, seeking to obey, will.
The blind man uses a powerful argument: a miracle proves Jesus isn't the kind of 'sinner' God ignores. How does this work?
This verse, spoken by the formerly blind man, forms the crucial third part of his argument against the Pharisees. His reasoning is a syllogism:
The man's logic is brilliant: the miracle itself serves as undeniable proof of Jesus' divine commission, directly refuting the leaders' accusations.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Discourse on True Discipleship
Following the healing and the ensuing conflict, Jesus continues to teach about his identity and the nature of true faith, contrasting genuine worship with hypocrisy.
"We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him." — The verse highlights that God’s listening is tied to sincere worship and obedience, not just a general concept of prayer. The man implicitly argues that the miracle Jesus performed demonstrates an in…
