John 1:48

John 1:48 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
• New International Version (NIV)“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Context of John 1:48

46Nathanael said, ‘I did not think that anything good could come from Nazareth!’ Philip replied, ‘Come and see.’ 47Jesus 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.’ Nathanael 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.’ 50Jesus said to him, ‘I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. Now you believe me because I told you that. But you will see much greater things than that.’

John 1:48 word by word

λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ· πόθεν με γινώσκεις; ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν εἶδόν σε.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• NathanaelΝαθαναήλNathanaēl · NathanaelG3482
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whenceπόθενpothen · whenceG4159
• knowest thouγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• PhilipΦίλιπποςPhilippos · PhilipG5376
• calledφωνέωphōneō · to callG5455
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• when thou wastεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• underὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
• the fig treeσυκῆsukē · fig treeG4808
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708

Cross-references for John 1:48

• John 2:25He did not need anyone to tell him what people are like. He knew already what was really in each person.
• Genesis 32:24Then Jacob was alone. A man came and fought with him for a long time. They continued until dawn.
• Psalms 139:1Lord, you look deep inside me, and you know all about me.
• Isaiah 65:24Before they call to me for help, I will answer them. While they are still praying, I will hear them.
• Matthew 6:6But this is how you should pray. Go to a place in your house where you can be alone. You can shut the door and you can pray to God your Father. He is in that secret place. He sees what you do there. He will give you good things in return.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5So you should not decide about things before the time is right. Wait until the Lord comes again. He will show everything clearly. He will show the bad things that people have done secretly. He will show the secret purpose of people's thoughts. Then God will praise each person in a way that is right for them.
• 1 Corinthians 14:25The visitor's secret thoughts will become clear. As a result, he will bend down to the ground and he will worship God. He will say, ‘God is really here among you!’
• Revelation 2:18‘Write this to the angel of the church at Thyatira: “This is the message to you from the Son of God. He has eyes that burn brightly like flames of fire. His feet shine like bright metal.

Commentaries on John 1:48

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 48Whence knowest thou me? - He was not yet acquainted with the divinity of Christ, could not conceive that he could search his heart, and therefore asks how he could acquire this knowledge of him, or who had given him that character. It is the comfort of the sincere and upright, that God knows their hearts; and it should be the terror of the deceitful and of the hypocrite, that their false dealing is ever noticed by the all-seeing eye of God. Under the fig…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 48Whence knowest thou me? - Nathanael was not yet acquainted with the divinity of Christ, and supposed that he had been a stranger to him. Hearing him express a favorable opinion of him, he naturally inquired by what means he had any knowledge of him. His conscience testified to the truth of what Jesus said that he had no guile, and he was anxious to know whence he had learned his character. Before that Philip called thee - See John 1:45. When thou wast…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. 48-49Jesus gained Nathanael’s attention by showing that he knew his character (1:47). Then Jesus showed that he knew Nathanael’s earlier actions, even though they had not met before. This supernatural knowledge (knowledge beyond normal human ability) amazed Nathanael. He saw this as a sign from God and responded with faith. Nathanael had witnessed a miracle. As a result, he made a strong confession about who Jesus is.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4848. Whence knowest thou me--conscious that his very heart had been read, and at this critical moment more than ever before. Before Philip called thee--showing He knew all that passed between Philip and him at a distance. when ... under the fig tree, &c.--where retirement for meditation and prayer was not uncommon [Lightfoot]. Thither, probably--hearing that his master's Master had at length appeared, and heaving with mingled eagerness to behold Him and…Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:48

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Nathanael
• Philip

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Flesh
• Gardens
• Guile
• Light

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