JHN 12:37-50

Belief and Unbelief

37But although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not believing in him — [12:38] so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said: "Lord, who believed our report? And to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?" [12:39] Because of this they were not able to believe, for Isaiah said again: [12:40] "He has blinded their eyes and has hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them." [12:41] Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and spoke concerning him. [12:42] Nevertheless, even from among the rulers many believed in him — but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. [12:43] For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. [12:44] And Jesus cried out and said: "The one who believes in me does not believe in me but in the one who sent me. [12:45] And the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. [12:46] I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness. [12:47] And if anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him — for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [12:48] The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge: the word that I spoke — that will judge him on the last day. [12:49] For I did not speak from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment — what I should say and what I should speak. [12:50] And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st century, (signs) were understood as divine acts that revealed God’s power and identity, particularly in Jewish thought. For John’s audience, these signs were not merely miracles but pointed to Jesus’ messianic identity. The reference to Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 53:1, 6:10) would have resonated deeply with Jewish listeners, who saw Isaiah as a key prophetic voice. The hardening of hearts and blinding of eyes evoked imagery of spiritual obstinacy, a condition likened to a callus or stone, suggesting deliberate resistance to divine revelation. The mention of (rulers) likely referred to Jewish leaders or magistrates who held significant social and religious authority, yet failed to recognize Jesus. Being (put out of the synagogue) carried severe consequences, including social ostracism and loss of religious community, a reality many early Jewish Christians faced. This passage underscores the tension between belief and unbelief, framed within the Jewish expectation of messianic fulfillment and the social-religious consequences of aligning with Jesus.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

JHN 12:37

KJV: But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
BSB: Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him.
Koinōnos: But although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not believing in him —

JHN 12:38

KJV: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
BSB: This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
Koinōnos: so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said: "Lord, who believed our report? And to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?

JHN 12:39

KJV: Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
BSB: For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says:
Koinōnos: Because of this they were not able to believe, for Isaiah said again:

JHN 12:40

KJV: He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
BSB: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
Koinōnos: He has blinded their eyes and has hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.

JHN 12:41

KJV: These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
BSB: Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesusʼ glory and spoke about Him.
Koinōnos: Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and spoke concerning him.

JHN 12:42

KJV: Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
BSB: Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.
Koinōnos: Nevertheless, even from among the rulers many believed in him — but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.

JHN 12:43

KJV: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
BSB: For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Koinōnos: For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

JHN 12:44

KJV: Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
BSB: Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.
Koinōnos: And Jesus cried out and said: "The one who believes in me does not believe in me but in the one who sent me.

JHN 12:45

KJV: And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
BSB: And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
Koinōnos: And the one who sees me sees the one who sent me.

JHN 12:46

KJV: I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
BSB: I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
Koinōnos: I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness.

JHN 12:47

KJV: And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
BSB: As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
Koinōnos: And if anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him — for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

JHN 12:48

KJV: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
BSB: There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Koinōnos: The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge: the word that I spoke — that will judge him on the last day.

JHN 12:49

KJV: For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
BSB: I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.
Koinōnos: For I did not speak from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment — what I should say and what I should speak.

JHN 12:50

KJV: And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
BSB: And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”
Koinōnos: And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JHN 12:37

signs:The word translated 'signs' refers to miraculous deeds that serve as indicators or proofs, pointing to a deeper truth or reality beyond the act itself.

JHN 12:40

has hardened:The term translated 'has hardened' originally described the formation of a callus or stone, implying a process where something becomes insensitive, unfeeling, or impenetrable.

JHN 12:42

rulers:The word translated 'rulers' refers to those in positions of authority or leadership, often implying a governing or commanding role within a community.
put out of the synagogue:The phrase 'put out of the synagogue' describes a formal excommunication, meaning complete exclusion from the Jewish religious community and its social life.