John 1:12 BSB — MannaFest

John 1:12

But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

KJV

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

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Commentary

6 voices

Athanasius of Alexandria

296–373

Four Discourses Against the Arians, Discourse 2, Chapter 59 (373)

But this is God's kindness to man, that of whom He is Maker, of them according to grace He afterwards becomes Father also; becomes, that is, when men, His creatures, receive into their hearts, as the Apostle says, "the Spirit of His Son, crying, Abba, Father." And these are they who, having received the Word, gained power from Him to become sons of God; for they could not become sons, being by nature creatures, otherwise than by receiving the Spirit of the natural and true Son.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Observe here, [1.] The true Christian's description and property; and that is, that he receives Christ, and believes on his name; the latter explains the former. Note, First, To be a Christian indeed is to believe on Christ's name; it is to assent to the gospel discovery, and consent to the gospel proposal, concerning him.

The Nineteenth Century4 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Gave he power - Εξουσιαν, Privilege, honor, dignity, or right. He who is made a child of God enjoys the greatest privilege which the Divine Being can confer on this side eternity. Those who accept Jesus Christ, as he is offered to them in the Gospel, have, through his blood, a right to this sonship; for by that sacrifice this blessing was purchased; and the fullest promises of God confirm it to all who believe.

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

16 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ὅσοι	hosoi	As many as	G3745 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
ἔλαβον	elabon	received	G2983 →
αὐτόν,	auton	Him,	G846 →
ἔδωκεν	edōken	He gave	G1325 →
αὐτοῖς	autois	to them	G846 →
ἐξουσίαν	exousian	authority	G1849 →
τέκνα	tekna	children	G5043 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
γενέσθαι,	genesthai	to be,	G1096 →
τοῖς	tois	to those	G3588 →
πιστεύουσιν	pisteuousin	believing	G4100 →
εἰς	eis	in	G1519 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
ὄνομα	onoma	name	G3686 →
αὐτοῦ,	autou	of Him,	G846 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is…
leads to
- Galatians 3:26
  You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 6:18
  And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Galatians 4:5–6
  to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- John 3:16
  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- John 17:25
  Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
Through
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
leads to
- Galatians 5:18
  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
- Galatians 5:16
  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- Psalms 143:10
  Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.