Berean Standard Bible
John 5:19
19So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
John 5:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Context of John 5:19
17But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” 18Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
Read all of John 5John 5:19 word by word
ἀπεκρίνατο οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· οὐ δύναται ὁ υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν, ἐὰν μή τι βλέπῃ τὸν πατέρα ποιοῦντα. ἃ γὰρ ἂν ἐκεῖνος ποιῇ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁμοίως ποιεῖ.Read the interlinear
- Soοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- repliedἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- repliedκαίkai · andG2532
- repliedεἶπονepō · to sayG2036
- repliedαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Trulyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- I tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- youσύsu · youG4771
- Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- canοὐou · noG3756
- canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- byἀπόapo · away fromG575
- Himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- unlessἐάνean · ifG1437
- unlessμήmē · notG3361
- He seesβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- ·τιςtis · oneG5100
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whateverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- whateverἄνan · ifG302
- ·ἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- ·ὁμοίωςhomoiōs · similarlyG3668
Cross-references for John 5:19
- John 5:24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- John 3:3Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
- John 5:30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
- John 8:28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me.
- John 9:4While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
- John 12:49I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.
- John 14:10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.
- John 14:16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
- Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- Isaiah 44:24Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
- Colossians 1:16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- John 5:22Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,
- Psalms 50:6And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah
- 2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- John 2:19Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
- John 10:18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
Commentaries on John 5:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19The Son can do nothing of himself - Because of his inseparable union with the Father: nor can the Father do any thing of himself, because of his infinite unity with the Son. What things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son - God does nothing but what Christ does. What God does is the work of God, and proper to no creature - Jesus does whatsoever God does, and therefore is no created being. The Son can do nothing but what he sees the Father do: now…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The Son can do nothing of himself - Jesus, having stated the extent of his authority, proceeds here to show its “source and nature,” and to prove to them that what he had said was true. The first explanation which he gives is in these words: “The Son” - whom he had just impliedly affirmed to be equal with God - did nothing “of himself;” that is, nothing without the appointment of the Father; nothing contrary to the Father, as he immediately explains it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-23Verses 17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became more violent, charging him not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, in calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God. But all things now, and at the final judgment, are committed to the Son, purposely that all men might…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-30Jesus claimed that his work on the Sabbath was the same as God’s work on the Sabbath. Jesus claimed to be equal with God, doing the things God does. Yet he submitted to God’s will, doing only what the Father wanted.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. the Son can do nothing of himself--that is, apart from and in rivalry of the Father, as they supposed. The meaning is, "The Son can have no separate interest or action from the Father." for what things, &c.--On the contrary, "whatever the Father doeth that same doeth the Son," likewise--"in the like manner." What claim to absolute equality with the Father could exceed this: not only to do "the same things," but to do them as the Father does them?Read the comment
Topics related to John 5:19
In the dictionaries
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
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