John 5:38
“And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Those who do not believe in the Son do not have the Father's word abiding in them.
Context
Jesus is explaining that rejection of him is rejection of the Father's message, which runs through all of Scripture.
What Does John 5:38 Mean?
To 'have the word abiding' means to truly inhabit it, to let it shape your thinking and living. If a person rejects Jesus, they cannot claim to hold the Father's word truly. Why? Because the Father's word, rightly understood, points to the Son. The Old Testament speaks of him - in the covenant promises, in the sacrificial system, in the prophets. A person may possess the text of Scripture and miss its deepest meaning: that the whole story moves toward and reveals the Lamb of God. When we refuse to see Jesus in the word, we show that the word has not truly penetrated our hearts.
This is a challenge and a promise. It challenges us to read Scripture not as a code to memorize but as a love letter pointing to Christ. And it promises that if we truly receive God's word, it will lead us home to him.
Application
Do we read the Bible to master information, or to meet the God it reveals? If our Bible study draws us closer to Jesus, we are on the path.