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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

Context of John 12:20

18Because the crowd heard that Jesus had performed this miracle, they came to meet him. 19The Pharisees said to each other, “This is getting us nowhere. Look! The whole world is following him!” Some Greeks were among those who came to worship during the Passover festival. 21They went to Philip (who was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and told him, “Sir, we would like to meet Jesus.” 22Philip told Andrew, and they 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 among themselves, “Where does this man intend to go so that we won’t find him? Does he mean that he’ll live with the Jews who are scattered among the Greeks and that he’ll teach the Greeks?
• Mark 7:26The woman happened to be Greek, born in Phoenicia in Syria. She asked him to force the demon out of her daughter.
• Acts 14:1The same thing happened in the city of Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large crowd of Jews and Greeks believed.
• Acts 16:1Paul arrived in the city of Derbe and then went to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek.
• Acts 17:4Some of the Jews were persuaded to join Paul and Silas, especially a large group of Greeks who had converted to Judaism and the wives of many prominent men.
• Acts 20:21I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
• Acts 21:28Then they began shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against the Jewish people, Moses’ Teachings, and this temple. He has even brought Greeks into the temple courtyard and has made this holy place unclean.”
• Romans 1:16I’m not ashamed of the Good News. It is God’s power to save everyone who believes, Jews first and Greeks as well.
• Romans 10:12There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls on him.
• Galatians 2:3Titus was with me, and although he is Greek, no one forced him to be circumcised.
• Galatians 3:28There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11Where this happens, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized person, slave, or free person. Instead, Christ is everything and in everything.
• 1 Kings 8:41“People will hear about your great name, mighty hand, and powerful arm. So when people who are not Israelites come from distant countries because of your name
• Isaiah 11:10At that time the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the people ⌞to gather around⌟. The nations will come to him. His resting place will be glorious.
• Isaiah 60:2Darkness now covers the earth, and thick darkness covers the nations. But the Lord dawns, and his glory appears over you.
• Isaiah 66:19I will set up a sign among them and send some of their survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands who have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will tell about 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