---
title: John 1:12
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/john-1-12/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/john-1-12.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: John 1:12
testament: NT
section: Gospels
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# John 1:12

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

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

## JW Usage

Jehovah's Witnesses restrict "children of God" to the 144,000 anointed class. The millions of JWs in the "great crowd" or "other sheep" are considered merely "friends of God," declared righteous in the sense that Abraham was God's friend but not God's child in the new-covenant sense. John 1:12 is therefore read as applying only to those called to heavenly life, not to all believers. The "other sheep" must wait until the end of Christ's thousand-year reign before they can become God's children.

## Protestant Usage

"To all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God, to those exercising faith in his name" (NWT). The word "all" (hosoi) is universal — the right to become children of God is granted to everyone who receives Christ by faith. There is no class restriction. Galatians 3:26 confirms: "You are all sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:15 says believers have received "a spirit of adoption as sons." First John 3:2 states "we are now children of God" — present tense, not future probation. And 1 John 5:1 declares "everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God." The Watchtower has inserted a two-class distinction that the New Testament does not contain. If you have received Christ by faith, John says you are already a child of God — not a friend waiting in the queue.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [All God's Children](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/1john3-2.md) — 1 John 3:2 — 'We Shall Be Like Him' [Salvation]
- [Gods Who Die and God to Pharaoh Don't Parallel Jesus](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/psalm82-exodus71-gods-parallel.md) — Psalm 82:6-7 / Exodus 7:1 / John 10:34-36 [Deity of Christ]
- [No One Comes Unless the Father Draws Him](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/john6-44-drawn-by-father.md) — John 6:44 — Salvation Is God's Initiative, Not Yours [Salvation]