John 5:37

John 5:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
• New International Version (NIV)And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

Context of John 5:37

35John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining [to show you the way], and you were willing for a while to rejoice in his light. 36But the testimony which I have is far greater than the testimony of John; for the works that the Father has given Me to finish—the very same works [that is, the miracles and proofs of My deity] that I am [now] doing—testify about Me, [by providing evidence] that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form [His majesty and greatness—what He is like]. 38You do not have His word (Scripture) abiding in you [actually living in your hearts and minds], because you do not believe in Him whom He has sent. 39You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me;

John 5:37 word by word

καὶ ὁ πέμψας με πατὴρ ἐκεῖνος μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ ἐμοῦ· οὔτε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ πώποτε ἀκηκόατε, οὔτε εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἑωράκατε,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• himselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• which hath sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• hath borne witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• Ye haveἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• at any timeπώποτεpōpote · everG4455
• seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• shapeεἶδοςeidos · appearanceG1491

Cross-references for John 5:37

• John 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures [and leads] to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for God the Father has authorized Him and put His seal on Him.”
• John 8:18I am One [of the Two] who testifies about Myself, and My Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”
• Matthew 3:17and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!”
• Matthew 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased and delighted! Listen to Him!”
• John 5:32There is another [My Father] who testifies about Me, and I know [without any doubt] that His testimony on My behalf is true and valid.
• John 1:18No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].
• John 14:9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
• John 15:24If I had not done among them the works (attesting miracles) which no one else [ever] did, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now [the fact is that] they have both seen [these works] and have hated Me [and continue to hate Me] and My Father as well.
• Exodus 20:19Then they said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us or we will die.”
• Deuteronomy 4:12Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of the words, but you saw no form—there was only a voice.
• 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
• 1 Timothy 6:16He alone possesses immortality [absolute exemption from death] and lives in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal power and dominion! Amen.
• 1 John 1:1[I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]—
• 1 John 4:12No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us.

Commentaries on John 5:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37The Father himself - hath borne witness - That is, by his prophets. Ye have neither heard his voice - I make these words, with Bp. Pearce, a parenthesis: the sense is - "Not that my Father ever appeared visibly or spake audibly to any of you; but he did it by the mouths of his prophets." Lately, however, he had added to their testimony his own voice from heaven, on the day of Christ's baptism. See Matthew 3:17.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37The Father himself … hath borne witness of me - This God had done, 1.By the miracles which Jesus had performed, and of which he was conversing. 2.At the baptism of Jesus, where he said, “This is my beloved Son,” Matthew 3:17. 3.In the prophecies of the Old Testament. It is not easy to say here to which of these he refers. Perhaps he has reference to all. Ye have neither heard his voice - This difficult passage has been interpreted in various ways. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-38Verses 30-38 Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had higher testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said. But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as they refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-40God's law requires more than one witness in a trial (Deuteronomy 17:6). A single person’s word is not enough to prove a case. Jesus recognized this principle. He said that his own testimony needed support from others. So he presented several witnesses who confirmed who he was. These witnesses supported his claims and showed that his message was true.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-3836-38. I have greater witness--rather, "The witness which I have is greater." the works ... bear witness of me--not simply as miracles nor even as a miracle of mercy, but these miracles, as He did them, with a will and a power, a majesty and a grace manifestly His own.Read the comment

Topics related to John 5:37

• God
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Voice

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Folk
• Judgment
• Lest
• Light
• Step
• Trouble
• Troubling
• Witness
• Form

Commentaries on John 5

• 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