Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

John 12:44

ESV And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.
NIV Then Jesus cried out, "Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.
NASB Now Jesus cried out and said, 'The one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent Me.
CSB Jesus cried out, "The one who believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
NLT Jesus shouted to the crowds, 'If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.
KJV Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
NKJV Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

What does John 12:44 mean?

When Jesus called loudly for Lazarus to rise from the dead, the gospel of John used a Greek term similar to what's found here. Both terms imply a loud, deliberate proclamation. In the prior verses, Jesus had warned a group of people in Jerusalem (John 12:20–22) to take advantage of their limited opportunity to follow truth. Those who reject that chance may find themselves unable to come to belief, as judgment against their hard hearts (John 12:37–43).

This verse corresponds to other statements made in the New Testament. Hebrews 1:3 refers to Christ as the "exact imprint" of God, an idea Jesus will also mention later in His teaching to the disciples (John 14:9–10). The two are identical: when one hears from Jesus, they are hearing from God the Father. Those who reject the Son are rejecting God (John 3:36). Colossians 1:15 likewise says that Jesus is the visible form of the invisible Father.

2 Corinthians 4:4 combines the ideas found here and in prior verses. Jesus is the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." Those who reject God, according to that reference, are blinded and kept from seeing the truth.

It's not clear when or where Jesus spoke these words. This might be a single, specific statement made after His encounter with the seekers in Jerusalem. Or, this might be a summarized version of His teaching as He neared the end of His earthly ministry.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: