John 5:21

John 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
• New International Version (NIV)For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

Context of John 5:21

19Jesus answered them, ‘I tell you this: The Son can do nothing by himself. He sees what the Father does, and he can do only those same things. What the Father does, the Son also does. 20The Father loves the Son. He shows the Son all the things that he himself does. And the Father will show the Son even greater things to do than these. Those greater things will surprise you even more than what you have already seen. The Father raises dead people to make them alive again. In the same way, the Son gives life to whoever he chooses. 22More than that, the Father does not judge anyone. He has given authority to the Son, so that the Son will judge all people. 23Then all people will respect the Son as a great person. They will respect him in the way that they respect the Father. The Father sent the Son. So if people refuse to respect the Son, it shows that they do not respect the Father either.

John 5:21 word by word

ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ ζῳοποιεῖ, οὕτως καὶ ὁ υἱὸς οὓς θέλει ζῳοποιεῖ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• raiseth upἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• quickenethζωοποιέωzōopoieō · to make aliveG2227
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309

Cross-references for John 5:21

• Deuteronomy 32:39Realize the truth! I alone am God. There is no other god as well as me. I can kill and I can give life. I can hurt people and I can make them well again. Nobody can stop me doing what I choose to do.
• 1 Kings 17:21Then Elijah lay with his body across the boy. He did that three times. He prayed to the Lord, ‘Lord, my God, please cause this boy's life to return to him!’
• 2 Kings 4:32When Elisha arrived at the house, the boy was lying on the bed. He saw that the boy was dead.
• 2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he was very upset. He tore his clothes. He said, ‘I am not God, am I? I cannot kill people or make them alive again. Why does he think that I can make this man well again? I see that he is trying to start a fight with me.’
• Acts 26:8Is it impossible for God to cause dead people to become alive again? You should surely believe me when I say that.
• Romans 4:17In the Bible, God said to Abraham, ‘I have chosen you to become the ancestor of many different people.’ That is what God himself promises, because Abraham believed in him. God is the one who causes dead people to become alive again. He speaks about things that are not yet there as if they were already there.
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, ‘I have authority over death. I raise dead people, and I give people true life. Anyone who believes in me will live. Even if that person dies, he will continue to live.
• John 17:2You gave me authority over all people. You did this so that I could give people life for ever. Those are the people that you gave to me.
• Luke 7:14He went to the board and he touched it. The people who were carrying the dead man stopped. Jesus said, ‘Young man, I am telling you, get up!’
• Luke 8:54But Jesus went and held the child's hand. He said to her, ‘My child, get up.’

Commentaries on John 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21As the Father raised up the dead - This he did in the case of the widow's son at Sarepta, 1 Kings 17:22, by the ministry of the Prophet Elijah. And again, in the case of the Shunamite's son, 2 Kings 4:32-35, by the ministry of the Prophet Elisha. The Son quickeneth whom he will - He raiseth from death to life whomsoever he pleases. So he did, for he raised the ruler's daughter, Mark 5:35-42; the widow's son at Nain, Luke 7:11-15; and Lazarus, at Bethany…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21As the Father raiseth up the dead - God has power to raise the dead. By his power it had been done in at least two instances - by the prophet Elijah, in the case of the son of the widow of Sarepta 1 Kings 17:22, and by the prophet Elisha, in the case of the Shunamite‘s son, 2 Kings 4:32-35. The Jews did not doubt that God had power to raise the dead. Jesus here expressly affirms it, and says he has the same power. Quickeneth them - Gives them “life.” This…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-23Verses 17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became more violent, charging him not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, in calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God. But all things now, and at the final judgment, are committed to the Son, purposely that all men might…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Most Jews firmly believed in resurrection but viewed it as something God alone could accomplish. Jesus claimed that he gives life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2321-23. raiseth the dead and quickeneth them--one act in two stages. This is His absolute prerogative as God. so the Son quickeneth them--that is, raiseth up and quickeneth. whom he will--not only doing the same divine act, but doing it as the result of His own will, even as the Father does it. This statement is of immense importance in relation to the miracles of Christ, distinguishing them from similar miracles of prophets and apostles, who as human…Read the comment

Topics related to John 5:21

• God
• Jesus Continued
• Power
• Quickening
• Resurrection

In the dictionaries

• Folk
• Judgment
• Lest
• Light
• Son of God
• Step
• Trouble
• Troubling
• Witness
• Authority in Religion

Commentaries on John 5

• 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