EasyEnglish Bible 2018
John 12:34
34The crowd said, ‘The Bible tells us that the Messiah will continue for ever. So why do you say, “People must lift up the Son of Man”? Who is this Son of Man?’
John 12:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
- New International Version (NIV)The crowd spoke up, “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’?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
Context of John 12:34
32But when people lift me up from the ground, then I will bring everyone to myself.’ 33Jesus said this to show in what way he would soon die. The crowd said, ‘The Bible tells us that the Messiah will continue for ever. So why do you say, “People must lift up the Son of Man”? Who is this Son of Man?’ 35Jesus answered, ‘The light will be with you for only a short time longer. So continue to walk while you still have the light. Do that, so that the dark will not come over you. Anyone who walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36While you still have the light with you, believe in that light. So then you will become children of light.’ When Jesus had said this, he went away. He hid himself from them.
Read all of John 12John 12:34 word by word
Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- The peopleὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
- answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- abidethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
- forεἰςeis · towardG1519
- everαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- sayestλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- The Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
- be lifted upὑψόωhupsoō · to lift upG5312
- whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
Cross-references for John 12:34
- John 10:34Jesus answered them, ‘It is written in your own books of God's Law that God said, “You are gods.”
- John 15:25Their book of God's Law says, “They hated me without any good reason.” What that book already said long ago had to happen.
- Romans 3:19So, we know that God's Law belongs to the Jews. God told them to obey everything that his Law teaches. As a result, nobody can say: ‘God should not punish me.’ Everybody in the world must stand in front of God and he will judge them.
- Romans 5:18So God's punishment came to all people because of that one wrong thing that Adam did. But the one thing that Christ did makes people free. God accepts all people because of that one good thing that Christ did. Those people receive true life from God.
- 2 Samuel 7:13He is the man who will build a house for me. People will give honour to my name there. I will cause his descendants to rule as kings for ever.
- Psalms 72:7While he rules as king, those people who serve God will do well. There will be peace in all the land, for as long as the moon remains in the sky.
- Psalms 89:36His descendants will always rule. His kingdom will continue to be there for ever, as long as the sun shines.
- Psalms 110:4The Lord has made a strong promise. He will not change it. He has promised, ‘You will be a priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was my priest.’
- Isaiah 9:7His authority to rule will be very great. The peace that he brings will never have an end. He will rule as king over David's kingdom. He will make it strong and safe, because he will do what is right and fair. He will rule like that now and for ever. The Lord Almighty will make those things happen, because he loves his people.
- Isaiah 53:8They spoke lies to accuse him in court. Then they led him away to kill him. And nobody at that time said that it was wrong. His life in this world quickly came to an end. And it was the sins of our own people that caused him to die.
- Ezekiel 37:24My servant David will be their king. There will be one shepherd who takes care of them all. They will carefully obey my rules and my laws.
- Daniel 2:44During the time when those kings rule, the God of heaven will begin a new kingdom. That kingdom will continue for ever. No other people will ever have power over it. It will break up all those other kingdoms and it will destroy them. And it will continue for ever.
- Daniel 7:14God gave him great honour and authority to rule as king. The people of all nations and those who spoke every language agreed to serve him. He has authority to rule for ever. He will never stop being king. Nobody will be able to destroy his kingdom.
- Micah 4:7I will make a new beginning with those people who cannot walk well. Together with some of those people that I sent far away, I will make them my own special people. They will be strong, and I will rule over them from Mount Zion. I will be their king from that time and always.
- John 3:14Long ago Moses lifted up the metal snake in the wilderness to save his people. In the same way, people must lift up the Son of Man on a cross.
- John 5:25I tell you this: A time will soon come when those who are dead in their spirits will hear the voice of the Son of God. Yes, it is that time already. Those people who hear that message will receive true life.
Commentaries on John 12:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34We have heard out of the law - That is, out of the sacred writings. The words here are quoted from Psalm 110:4; but the Jews called every part of the sacred writings by the name, The Law, in opposition to the words or sayings of the scribes. See on John 10:34; (note). That Christ abideth for ever - There was no part of the law nor of the Scripture that said the Messiah should not die; but there are several passages that say as expressly as they can that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34We have heard out of the law - Out of the Old Testament; or rather we have been so taught by those who have interpreted the law to us. That Christ - That the Messiah. Abideth for ever - Will remain forever, or will live forever. The doctrine of many of them certainly was that the Messiah would not die; that he would reign as a prince forever over the people. This opinion was founded on such passages of Scripture as these: Psalm 110:4, “Thou art a priest…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. 34Many people in the time of Jesus believed that the Messiah would live forever and defeat his enemies. They expected a strong and victorious ruler. Because of this belief, the words Jesus spoke confused them. Who is this Son of Man?: The Jews did not understand what sort of Messiah planned to die.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3434. We have heard out of the law--the scriptures of the Old Testament (referring to such places as Psa 89:28, 29; 110:4; Da 2:44; 7:13, 14). that Christ--the Christ "endureth for ever." and how sayest thou, The Son of Man must be lifted up, &c.--How can that consist with this "uplifting?" They saw very well both that He was holding Himself up as the Christ and a Christ to die a violent death; and as that ran counter to all their ideas of the Messianic…Read the comment
Topics related to John 12:34
In the dictionaries
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
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