John 12:36

John 12:36 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
• New International Version (NIV)Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Context of John 12:36

34Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them. 37Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said: Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

John 12:36 word by word

ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, πιστεύετε εἰς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα υἱοὶ φωτὸς γένησθε. ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκρύβη ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whileἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• lightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ye may beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• the childrenυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• These thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• departedἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
• and did hide himselfκρύπτωkruptō · to hideG2928
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for John 12:36

• John 1:7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.
• John 3:21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
• Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you.
• Acts 13:47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• Luke 16:8“The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people.
• Ephesians 5:8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light —
• 1 Thessalonians 5:5For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.
• 1 John 2:9The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now.
• John 8:59So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.
• John 10:39Then they were trying again to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
• John 11:54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there with the disciples.
• Matthew 21:17Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

Commentaries on John 12:36

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36Children of light - Let the light, the truth of Christ, so dwell in and work by you that ye may be all light in the Lord: that as truly as a child is the produce of his own parent, and partakes of his nature, so ye may be children of the light, having nothing in you but truth and righteousness. Did hide himself from them - Either by rendering himself invisible, or by suddenly mingling with the crowd, so that they could not perceive him. See John 8:59…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 36While ye have light - This implied two things: 1.that he was the light, or was the Messiah. 2.that he was soon to be taken away by death. In this manner he answered their question - not directly, but in a way to convey the truth to their minds, and at the same time to administer to them a useful admonition. Jesus never aroused the prejudices of men unnecessarily, yet he never shrank from declaring to them the truth in some way, however unpalatable it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-36Verses 34-36 The people drew false notions from the Scriptures, because they overlooked the prophecies that spoke of Christ's sufferings and death. Our Lord warned them that the light would not long continue with them, and exhorted them to walk in it, before the darkness overtook them. Those who would walk in the light must believe in it, and follow Christ's directions. But those who have not faith, cannot behold what is set forth in Jesus, lifted up on…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36Jesus was the Light (1:4, 7–9; 3:19–21; 8:12). He urged the crowd to choose to believe in him before it was too late. They could become sons of the light by being spiritually born through God's power (1:12–13). was hidden from them: He first withdrew from Judea and then from this audience (11:54; 12:36). Soon, he would withdraw from the world (17:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 35-3635-36. Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, &c.--Instead of answering their question, He warns them, with mingled majesty and tenderness, against trifling with their last brief opportunity, and entreats them to let in the Light while they have it in the midst of them, that they themselves might be "light in the Lord." In this case, all the clouds which hung around His Person and Mission would speedily be dispelled, while…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:36

• Faith
• Light
• Prudence
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Andrew
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As

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