What Does John 9:31 Mean?
Now we know that God does not hear those who miss the mark. But if anyone is in awe of God and does his will, him he hears.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.THE KEY
The verse makes hearing a matter of lived orientation: reverence for God takes shape in doing his will.
THE MEANING
God hears the one who reveres him and does his will; reverence becomes visible in action. The verse sets a life marked by missing beside a life directed toward God’s desire.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that calling oneself a worshipper is enough; the verse binds reverence to doing God’s will.
THE ROOT
ἀκούει
akouei
GROWS FROM
ἀκούω
akouō
To hear, listen, or understand.
“heareth” in this verse is akouei. The same Greek word family can describe hearing that becomes response. Here, God’s hearing is attentive regard toward the person whose reverence is expressed in action.
ALSO GROWS
akoē: Hearing; a report or message heard.
ἀκοή
It links hearing with what is received and taken in.
eisakouō: To hear favorably; to answer.
εἰσακούω
It shows how hearing can carry the sense of attending to a request.
hypakouō: To listen and obey.
ὑπακούω
It joins hearing with a life that responds.
ἁμαρτωλῶν
hamartōlōn
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτάνω
hamartanō
To miss, err, or fail to reach.
“those who miss the mark” in this verse is hamartōlōn. The Greek word belongs to the same family as the word for missing the mark. That root shade makes the contrast in the verse about a direction of life: missing stands opposite to doing God’s will.
ALSO GROWS
hamartia: Missing, failure, or error.
ἁμαρτία
It carries the same root idea of missing that underlies “sinners” here.
hamartēma: A miss, error, or wrongful act.
ἁμάρτημα
It shows the word family can name a particular act of missing as well as a person characterized by it.
ποιῇ
poiē
GROWS FROM
ποιέω
poieō
To do, make, or bring about.
“doeth” in this verse is poiē. The verb presents God’s will as something enacted. In this sentence, reverence is not left as a title or inward claim; it takes form in what a person does.
ALSO GROWS
poiēma: A thing made; a work.
ποίημα
It shows the root’s sense of action taking a formed result.
poiētēs: A maker or doer.
ποιητής
It names one who carries an action into effect.
THE PATTERN
God’s hearing is portrayed as responsive to a life oriented toward God’s will.
The eyes of the LORD are upon the aligned, and his ears are open to their cry.And Samuel said, Does the LORD delight in rising offerings and slaughtered offerings as much as in hearing and responding to the voice of the LORD? Behold, hearing and responding is better than a slaughtered offering; to prick the ear is better than the fat of rams.And whatever we ask, we take from him, because we guard his commands and do what fits in his eyes.THE THREAD
My sheep hear and respond to my voice, and I perceive them, and they follow me.“Hear” uses the same Greek root as “heareth” in this verse. Here, hearing leads into following, opening the sense of God’s hearing as attentive relationship expressed through a responding life.
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