John 12:16

John 12:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
• New International Version (NIV)At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

Context of John 12:16

14Jesus found a young donkey, and he sat on it. This happened in the way that was written in the Bible long ago: 15‘Do not be afraid, you people in Zion. Look! Your king is coming. He is riding on a young donkey.’ Jesus' disciples did not understand all this at that time. They understood only after Jesus had returned to God in heaven. Then they remembered that someone had written these things about him in the Bible. And they remembered that these things had now really happened to him. 17The crowd that had been with Jesus before at Bethany continued to tell people about Lazarus. They said, ‘Jesus told Lazarus that he should come out of the hole in the rock. He made Lazarus alive again after he had died and his body had been put in there.’ 18That is why many people came to meet Jesus. They had heard that he had done this miracle.

John 12:16 word by word

ταῦτα οὐκ ἔγνωσαν αὐτοῦ οἱ μαθηταὶ τὸ πρῶτον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε ἐδοξάσθη Ἰησοῦς, τότε ἐμνήσθησαν ὅτι ταῦτα ἦν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γεγραμμένα καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• These thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• understoodγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• notοὐou · noG3756
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• disciplesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• at the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• was glorifiedδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• remembered theyμιμνήσκωmimnēskō · to rememberG3403
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• ofἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• they had doneποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• ·δέde · thenG1161

Cross-references for John 12:16

• Luke 9:45But they did not understand what Jesus had said. Its meaning was a secret to them, so they could not understand. But they were afraid to ask Jesus, ‘What do you mean?’
• Luke 18:34The 12 disciples did not understand any of these things. What Jesus said did not mean anything to them. So they did not know what Jesus was talking about.
• Luke 24:25Jesus then said to them, ‘How silly you are! You are very slow to believe everything that God's prophets said long ago.
• John 12:23Jesus said to them, ‘God will show how great the Son of Man is. It is now time for that to happen.
• John 7:39Jesus was speaking about God's Spirit, who would come to people some time after that. Those people who believed in Jesus would receive God's Spirit at that later time. But God had not yet given his Spirit to people, because he had not yet raised Jesus back up to heaven.
• John 13:31When Judas had left, Jesus said, ‘Now people will see how great the Son of Man is. Because of him, they will also see how great God is.
• John 17:5So, Father, now that I return to you, show people how great I am. Before the world began, I had great glory with you. Show again that I am great like that.’
• Mark 16:19So, after the Lord Jesus had spoken to the disciples, God took him up into heaven. There he sat down at the right side of God.
• Acts 2:33God took Jesus back up to heaven. He caused Jesus to sit at his right side, the place of great honour. Jesus received the Holy Spirit from his Father God, so that he could give the Spirit to us. This is what God had promised to do. God has poured his Holy Spirit on us. Now you are seeing and hearing the result of this.
• Acts 3:13It happened because of Jesus, who was the special servant of God. That is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and our other ancestors who lived long ago. God has raised his servant Jesus up to a place of honour. You helped the rulers to take hold of Jesus. The Roman ruler Pilate had decided to let Jesus go free. But you turned against Jesus.
• Hebrews 8:1The most important thing that we are saying is this: In Jesus, we do have this kind of special priest. He has now sat down to rule with God in heaven. He sits at the right side of God, who rules with all authority.
• Hebrews 12:2As we run, we must always look towards Jesus. He is the one who trusted God completely. Our faith starts with him, and he will help us to trust God all the way to the end. Jesus accepted punishment on the cross. He chose to receive much pain. He did not think about being ashamed to die like that. He knew that God had prepared something very good for him that would make him happy. Now he has sat down at the right side of God to rule with him in heaven.
• John 2:22The disciples remembered this when Jesus had become alive again after his death. They remembered that he had said this. Then they believed what the Bible taught. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.
• John 14:26But the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be with you. He will be your Helper. He will come in my name, and he will teach you all things. He will help you to remember everything that I have told you.
• John 16:4But I have told you this so that you will remember. When they begin to do these things, you will remember that I told you about them already.’ ‘I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you.
• Luke 24:6Jesus is not here. He has become alive again! Remember what he said to you, while he was still with you in Galilee.

Commentaries on John 12:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Then remembered they, etc. - After the ascension of Christ, the disciples saw the meaning of many prophecies which referred to Christ, and applied them to him, which they had not fully comprehended before. Indeed it is only in the light of the new covenant, that the old is to be fully understood.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 See this passage explained in the notes at Mark 11:1-11; John 12:16 Was glorified - Was raised from the dead, and had ascended to heaven. John 12:17 Bare record - Testified that he had raised him, and, as was natural, spread the report through the city. This excited much attention, and the people came out in multitudes to meet one who had power to work such miracles. John 12:19 Prevail nothing - All your efforts are ineffectual to stop the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The crowds did not fully understand who Jesus was. Even his disciples did not grasp the full meaning of what was happening. They saw the events, but they did not yet understand their true significance (their deeper meaning). After Jesus was glorified (raised up in death, resurrection, and return to the Father), things changed. When the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they began to understand more clearly (see 2:22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, &c.--The Spirit, descending on them from the glorified Saviour at Pentecost, opened their eyes suddenly to the true sense of the Old Testament, brought vividly to their recollection this and other Messianic predictions, and to their unspeakable astonishment showed them that they, and all the actors in these scenes, had been unconsciously fulfilling those predictions.Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:16

• Apostles
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Christ, Offices of
• 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