John 12:38

John 12:38 in other versions

• King James Version (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?
• New International Version (NIV)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?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Context of John 12:38

36While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God].” Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them. 37Even though He had done so many signs (attesting miracles) right before them, yet they still did not believe and failed to trust Him— This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?” 39Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40“He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them.”

John 12:38 word by word

ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὃν εἶπεν· κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• the sayingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the sayingλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of EsaiasἩσαΐαςHēsaias · IsaiahG2268
• the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• might be fulfilledπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he spakeλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• hath believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• reportἀκοήakoē · hearingG189
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hathἀποκαλύπτωapokaluptō · to revealG601
• the armβραχίωνbrachiōn · armG1023

Cross-references for John 12:38

• John 15:25But [this is so] that the word which has been written in their Law would be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
• John 17:12While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and protected them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
• John 19:24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it will be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture, “They divided My outer clothing among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”
• Matthew 27:35And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting lots.
• Acts 13:27For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, who failed to recognize or understand both Jesus and the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled these [very prophecies] by condemning Him.
• 2 Chronicles 32:20But Hezekiah the king and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven [for help].
• Matthew 15:7You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
• Acts 8:28and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah.
• Romans 10:20Then Isaiah is very bold and says, “I have been found by those who did not seek Me; I have shown Myself to those who did not [consciously] ask for Me.”
• Isaiah 53:1Who has believed [confidently trusted in, relied on, and adhered to] our message [of salvation]? And to whom [if not us] has the arm and infinite power of the Lord been revealed?
• Romans 10:16But they did not all pay attention to the good news [of salvation]; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
• Psalms 44:3For our fathers did not possess the land [of Canaan] by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, Because You favored and delighted in them.
• Isaiah 40:10Listen carefully, the Lord God will come with might, And His arm will rule for Him. Most certainly His reward is with Him, And His restitution accompanies Him.
• Isaiah 51:5My righteousness (justice) is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The islands and coastlands will wait for Me, And they will wait with hope and confident expectation for My arm.
• 1 Corinthians 1:24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
• Matthew 16:17Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Commentaries on John 12:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38That the saying of Esaias - Or, Thus the word of Isaiah was fulfilled. So I think ̔ (commonly rendered that) should be translated. For it certainly does not mean the end the Pharisees had in view by not believing; nor the end which the prophet had in view in predicting the incredulity of the Jews; but simply, such a thing was spoken by the prophet, concerning the Jews of his own time, and it had its literal fulfillment in those of our Lord's time. Our…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38The saying - The word of Isaiah, or that which Isaiah predicted. This occurs in Isaiah 53:1. Might be fulfilled - That the same effect should occur which occurred in the time of Isaiah. This does not mean that the Pharisees rejected Christ in order that the prophecy of Isaiah should be fulfilled, but that by their rejection of him the same thing had occurred which took place in the time of Isaiah. His message was despised by the nation, and he himself put…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-43Verses 37-43 Observe the method of conversion implied here. Sinners are brought to see the reality of Divine things, and to have some knowledge of them. To be converted, and truly turned from sin to Christ, as their Happiness and Portion. God will heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases. See the power of the world in smothering…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-50In this part of John’s Gospel, two stories move forward at the same time. First, more and more people begin to praise Jesus. Their excitement reaches a high point when crowds welcome him into Jerusalem with shouts of joy (12:12–13). Second, the religious authorities become more determined to arrest Jesus and put him to death. As public support grows, their opposition grows as well. John's Gospel describes three events that happened only days before…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-4137-41. It is the manner of this Evangelist alone to record his own reflections on the scenes he describes; but here, having arrived at what was virtually the close of our Lord's public ministry, he casts an affecting glance over the fruitlessness of His whole ministry on the bulk of the now doomed people. though he had done so many miracles--The word used suggests their nature as well as number.Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:38

• Blindness
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Arm
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Isaiah, The Book of
• Prince
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As
• Quotations in the New Testament

Commentaries on John 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings