God’s Word Translation
John 1:51
51Jesus said to Nathanael, “I can guarantee this truth: You will see the sky open and God’s angels going up and coming down to the Son of Man.”
John 1:51 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
- New International Version (NIV)He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Context of John 1:51
49Nathanael said to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!” 50Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” Jesus said to Nathanael, “I can guarantee this truth: You will see the sky open and God’s angels going up and coming down to the Son of Man.”
Read all of John 1John 1:51 word by word
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Hereafterἀπόapo · away fromG575
- ye shall seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- openἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- ascendingἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
- descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- ·ἄρτιarti · nowG737
Cross-references for John 1:51
- John 3:3Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see God’s kingdom without being born from above.”
- John 5:19Jesus said to the Jews, “I can guarantee this truth: The Son cannot do anything on his own. He can do only what he sees the Father doing. Indeed, the Son does exactly what the Father does.
- John 6:26Jesus replied to them, “I can guarantee this truth: You’re not looking for me because you saw miracles. You are looking for me because you ate as much of those loaves as you wanted.
- John 8:34Jesus answered them, “I can guarantee this truth: Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin.
- John 10:1“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber.
- John 12:24I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn’t produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain.
- John 13:16I can guarantee this truth: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them.
- John 13:20“I can guarantee this truth: Whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
- John 14:12“I can guarantee this truth: Those who believe in me will do the things that I am doing. They will do even greater things because I am going to the Father.
- John 16:20I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness.
- John 21:18I can guarantee this truth: When you were young, you would get ready to go where you wanted. But when you’re old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will get you ready to take you where you don’t want to go.”
- Ezekiel 1:1On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was living among the exiles by the Chebar River, the sky opened, and I saw visions from God.
- Matthew 3:16After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him.
- Mark 1:10As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove.
- Luke 3:21When all the people were baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened,
- Acts 7:56So Stephen said, “Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the throne!”
Commentaries on John 1:51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 51Verily, verily - Amen, amen. The doubling of this word probably came from this circumstance: that it was written both in Hebrew אמן and in Greek , signifying, it is true. Heaven open - This seems to be a figurative expression: Christ may be understood by this saying to mean, that a clear and abundant revelation of God's will should be now made unto men; that heaven itself should be laid as it were open, and all the mysteries which had been shut up and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 51Verily, verily - In the Greek, “Amen, amen.” The word “amen” means “truly, certainly, so be it” - from the Hebrew verb to confirm, to establish, to be true. It is often used in this gospel. When repeated it expresses the speaker‘s sense of the importance of what he is saying, and the “certainty” that it is as he affirms. Ye shall see - Not, perhaps, with the bodily eyes, but you shall have “evidence” that it is so. The thing shall take place, and you…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. 51Truly, truly (Greek amēn amēn): Jesus often used this phrase to emphasize important points. In John’s Gospel, the Greek word amēn is always doubled. you will all see heaven open: Jesus made the comparison with Jacob clear (see study note on 1:47; see Genesis 28:10–22). Like Jacob, Nathanael would see God at work. Jacob saw a vision at Bethel, where God revealed himself (Genesis 28:19). Jesus himself is the new Bethel. The name Bethel means “house of God.”…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 50-5150-51. Because I said, &c.--"So quickly convinced, and on this evidence only?"--an expression of admiration.Read the comment
Topics related to John 1:51
In the dictionaries
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
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