What Does Not of This World Mean? Verses & Use

“Not of this world” is Jesus’s wording for his followers and for his kingdom. In the King James Version he says they are not of the world (John 15:19; John 17:14, 16) and that his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The phrase marks that difference. It is not a command to leave ordinary life.

The “not of this world” Bible verses

These verses are from the King James Version, quoted from Bible Gateway. Jesus is the speaker in each of the John passages. The King James Version is in the public domain.

John 15:19: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

John 17:14: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

John 17:15: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

John 17:16: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

John 18:36: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Two other passages use “world” in a related way. They are not the sentence “not of this world.”

Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

1 John 2:15: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

1 John 2:17: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

What “in the world but not of the world” means

People often say “in the world but not of the world.” That exact sentence does not appear in the King James passages quoted above. It summarizes two statements that sit near each other in John 17.

John 17:11 says the disciples are in the world: “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”

John 17:14 and John 17:16 say they are not of the world, “even as I am not of the world.” John 18:36 uses the closest wording to the modern phrase, and it is about the kingdom: “My kingdom is not of this world.”

Read together, the prayer says the disciples remain in the world and are not of it, in the same way Jesus says he is not of it.

A common misreading

A common misreading hears “not of this world” as a call to withdraw from ordinary life. John 17:15 says otherwise about leaving. Jesus prays, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

John 15:19 does say, “I have chosen you out of the world.” Later, John 17:15 asks the Father not to take them out of the world. The verses distinguish being chosen from being removed. John 17:11 has already said, “these are in the world.”

How people wear the message

The wording is short enough to print on a shirt or a hoodie, where it can remind the wearer of these verses. THE ANSWER IS... does not sell a “Not of This World” shirt, hoodie, or sticker. Its clothing prints a different sentence: “The Answer Is...” on the front and “Jesus” on the back. You can see that line on the Christian shirts and the hoodies.

Sources

King James Version text of John 15:19, John 17:11, John 17:14-16, John 18:36, Romans 12:2, and 1 John 2:15-17, via Bible Gateway. The King James Version is in the public domain.

A few common questions

What does “not of this world” mean?

In the King James Version, Jesus says his followers are not of the world (John 15:19; John 17:14, 16) and that his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The phrase names that difference.

What is the “not of this world” Bible verse?

John 18:36 says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 15:19, John 17:14, and John 17:16 say “not of the world.” Those are the verses the phrase comes from.

Is “in the world but not of the world” a Bible verse?

That exact sentence does not appear in the King James passages quoted here. John 17:11 says the disciples “are in the world.” John 17:14 and John 17:16 say they “are not of the world.” The familiar line puts those two statements together.

Does “not of this world” mean Christians should leave the world?

John 17:15 says otherwise about leaving: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

What do Romans 12:2 and 1 John 2:15-17 add?

Romans 12:2 says, “be not conformed to this world.” 1 John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” They are related. They are not the sentence “not of this world.”

Does THE ANSWER IS... sell a “Not of This World” shirt?

No. The shop does not sell a “Not of This World” shirt, hoodie, or sticker. The Christian shirts and hoodies print “The Answer Is...” on the front and “Jesus” on the back.