John 1:47

John 1:47 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
• New International Version (NIV)When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

Context of John 1:47

45Philip went to find Nathanael. He told Nathanael, ‘We have found the man that Moses wrote about in the book of God's Law. The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus, who is Joseph's son, from Nazareth.’ 46Nathanael said, ‘I did not think that anything good could come from Nazareth!’ Philip replied, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael, who was coming towards him. Jesus said, ‘Here is a completely honest man. That is what a person from Israel should really be like.’ 48Nathanael asked, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you before Philip asked you to come. I saw you when you were under the fig tree.’ 49Nathanael said, ‘Teacher, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel.’

John 1:47 word by word

Εἶδεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• NathanaelΝαθαναήλNathanaēl · NathanaelG3482
• comingἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• an IsraeliteἸσραηλίτηςIsraēlitēs · IsraeliteG2475
• indeedἀληθῶςalēthōs · trulyG230
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• noοὐou · noG3756
• guileδόλοςdolos · deceitG1388

Cross-references for John 1:47

• John 8:31Then Jesus said to the Jews who now believed him, ‘Continue to obey the words that I have spoken to you. If you do that, you are really my disciples.
• Romans 2:28Not everyone who seems to be a Jew is really a Jew who belongs to God. God does not accept a man just because someone has circumcised that man's body.
• Romans 9:6God promised good things to Israel's people. But I am not saying that what God promised did not happen. It is clear that not all of Israel's people are God's true people.
• Philippians 3:3But we are truly God's people. And it is not because someone has circumcised us. It is God's own Spirit that leads us to worship God. We thank God because of what Christ Jesus has done for us. We know that it is not human ideas that can save us.
• Psalms 32:2They may have done something bad, but when the Lord says, ‘Not guilty!’, he has truly blessed them. They are happy because they no longer try to hide their sins.
• Psalms 73:1God is truly good to the people of Israel, to people who want to serve him honestly.
• 1 Peter 2:1So you must refuse to do any evil things. Do not tell lies to deceive people. Do not be hypocrites. Do not be jealous of other people. Do not say bad things against other people.
• Revelation 14:5They have not spoken any lies. They have done nothing wrong.

Commentaries on John 1:47

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 47Behold an Israelite indeed - A worthy descendant of the patriarch Jacob, who not only professes to believe in Israel's God, but who worships him in sincerity and truth, according to his light. In whom is no guile! - Deceitfulness ever has been, and still is, the deeply marked characteristic of the Jewish people. To find a man, living in the midst of so much corruption, walking in uprightness before his Maker, was a subject worthy the attention of God…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 47An Israelite indeed - One who is really an Israelite - not by birth only, but one worthy of the name. One who possesses the spirit, the piety, and the integrity which become a man who is really a Jew, who fears God and obeys his law. Compare Romans 9:6; Romans 2:28-29. No guile - No deceit, no fraud, no hypocrisy. He is really what he professes to be - a Jew, a descendant of the patriarch Jacob, fearing and serving God. He makes no profession which he…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 43-51Verses 43-51 See the nature of true Christianity, it is following Jesus; devoting ourselves to him, and treading in his steps. Observe the objection Nathanael made. All who desire to profit by the word of God, must beware of prejudices against places, or denominations of men. They should examine for themselves, and they will sometimes find good where they looked for none. Many people are kept from the ways of religion by the unreasonable prejudices they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 47Jesus described Nathanael as a true Israelite. He said there was no deceit (no dishonesty or trickery) in him. This may contrast Nathanael with Jacob, whose early life was marked by deceit. Jacob later received the name Israel (see Genesis 25:27–34; 27:1–36; 32:22–32). In this way, Nathanael shows what God desires Israel to be. God wants his people to be an honest and faithful people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4747. an Israelite indeed ... no guile--not only no hypocrite, but with a guileless simplicity not always found even in God's own people, ready to follow wherever truth might lead him, saying, Samuel-like, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth" (1Sa 3:10).Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:47

• Character
• Holiness
• Integrity
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Nathanael
• Obedience
• Perfection
• Philip
• Sincerity

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Bartholomew
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Flesh
• Guile
• Israel

Commentaries on John 1

• 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