John 12:20

John 12:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
• New International Version (NIV)Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration

Context of John 12:20

18The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him." Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

John 12:20 word by word

Ἦσαν δὲ Ἕλληνές τινες ἐκ τῶν ἀναβαινόντων ἵνα προσκυνήσωσιν ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• there wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• GreeksἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
• amongἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• them that came upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• to worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the feastὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the feastἑορτήheortē · festivalG1859
• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443

Cross-references for John 12:20

• John 7:35The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
• Mark 7:26Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
• Acts 14:1Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
• Acts 16:1Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
• Acts 17:4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
• Acts 20:21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Acts 21:28crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."
• Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
• Galatians 2:3But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
• Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
• 1 Kings 8:41"Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake
• Isaiah 11:10In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
• Isaiah 60:2For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
• Isaiah 66:19and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.

Commentaries on John 12:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Certain Greeks - There are three opinions concerning these: That they were proselytes of the gate or covenant, who came up to worship the true God at this feast. That they were real Jews, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language. 3. That they were mere Gentiles, who never knew the true God: and hearing of the fame of the temple, or the miracles of our Lord, came to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, and to worship him according to the manner…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Certain Greeks - In the original, “some Hellenists” - -the name commonly given to the Greeks. The same name was commonly used by the Jews to denote all the pagan nations, because most of those whom they knew spoke the Greek language, John 7:34; Romans 1:16; Romans 2:9-10; Romans 3:9. “Jews and Greeks.” The Syriac translates this place, “Some of the Gentiles.” There are three opinions in regard to these persons: 1.that they were Jews who spoke the Greek…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-26Verses 20-26 In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Among those people attracted to Jesus were some Greeks who believed in Israel's God. They had come to the Passover feast to worship (12:19). The mission of Jesus was not only for Israel but for the entire world (10:16; 11:52). After the resurrection of Jesus, the church's mission was to go beyond Judea to Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-3620-22. Greeks--Not Grecian Jews, but Greek proselytes to the Jewish faith, who were wont to attend the annual festivals, particularly this primary one, the Passover. The same came therefore to Philip ... of Bethsaida--possibly as being from the same quarter. saying, Sir, we would see Jesus--certainly in a far better sense than Zaccheus (Lu 19:3). Perhaps He was then in that part of the temple court to which Gentile proselytes had no access. "These men…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:20

• Andrew
• Curiosity
• Desire
• Feasts
• Greece
• Jerusalem
• Jesus Continued
• Philip

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Andrew
• Grecians; Greeks
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As
• Luke, the Evangelist

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