John 12:43

They just wanted people to say good things about them. They didn’t worry about what God will say about them.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

In Context

42But lots of people did believe in Jesus. Even some of the Jewish leaders believed in him. But those leaders didn’t tell anybody about it. You see, Jesus’s enemies, the Pharisee mob, they said, “If anyone believes in Jesus, we will not let them come to our meeting houses and pray to God with us.” So those leaders that believed in him stayed quiet.

44One day, Jesus shouted out, “Anyone that believes in me, is really believing in God. He is the one that sent me here.

Read all of John 12

Cross References

Psalms 22:29Even people that have lots of food and good things in this life, they will show respect to God. Everybody that’s dying and can’t keep themselves alive, they will get down on their knees to show respect to God.

Luke 19:17His boss said, ‘Good. You did well. You are a good work-man. I only left a little bit of my money with you, but you used it the way I wanted you to. So now I will give you a really good job. I will make you the boss over 10 cities in this country.’

John 5:44And you like other people saying good things about you, but you don’t try to live God’s way so that he will say good things about you. He is the only God, but you just care what people think about you, not what God thinks about you. That is the reason why you don’t believe in me.

John 12:26If anyone wants to work for me, they have to follow me. Wherever I go, my workers will go. And if anyone works for me, my father will say they are good.

1 Corinthians 4:5So I’m telling you, don’t judge people before the right time comes. You have to wait until our leader Jesus comes back again from heaven. He knows every secret. He will show everyone the secret things that people think about doing. And at that time God will praise each of his good workers, and he will say good things about them.

Matthew Henry on John 12:43-44

The Cowardice of the Rulers. 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Some honour was done to Christ by these rulers: for they believed on him, were convinced that he was sent of God, and received his doctrine as divine; but they did not do him honour enough, for they had not courage to own their faith in him. Many professed… Read the whole commentary →

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