God’s Word Translation
John 13:36
36Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “You can’t follow me now to the place where I’m going. However, you will follow me later.”
John 13:36 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
- New International Version (NIV)Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”
Context of John 13:36
34“I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you. 35Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.” Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “You can’t follow me now to the place where I’m going. However, you will follow me later.” 37Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I’ll give my life for you.” 38Jesus replied, “Will you give your life for me? I can guarantee this truth: No rooster will crow until you say three times that you don’t know me.
Read all of John 13John 13:36 word by word
λέγει αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος· κύριε, ποῦ ὑπάγεις; ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς· ὅπου ὑπάγω οὐ δύνασαί μοι νῦν ἀκολουθῆσαι· ἀκολουθήσεις δὲ ὕστερονRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
- PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- whitherποῦpou · where?G4226
- goest thouὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- Whitherὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
- thou canstδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- notοὐou · noG3756
- followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
- butδέde · thenG1161
- afterwardsὕστερονhusteron · laterG5305
Cross-references for John 13:36
- John 13:33Jesus said, “Dear children, I will still be with you for a little while. I’m telling you what I told the Jews. You will look for me, but you can’t go where I’m going.
- John 14:4You know the way to the place where I am going.”
- John 16:17Some of his disciples said to each other, “What does he mean? He tells us that in a little while we won’t see him. Then he tells us that in a little while we will see him again and that he’s going to the Father.”
- John 21:21When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
- 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.”
- 2 Peter 1:14I know that I will die soon. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me.
Commentaries on John 13:36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36Thou canst not follow me now - Thou hast not faith strong enough to die for me, nor is thy work yet done; but hereafter thou shalt suffer for my sake, and die in defense of my truth. See John 21:18.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-38Verses 36-38 What Christ had said concerning brotherly love, Peter overlooked, but spoke of that about which Christ kept them ignorant. It is common to be more eager to know about secret things, which belong to God only, than about things revealed, which belong to us and our children; to be more desirous to have our curiosity gratified, than our consciences directed; to know what is done in heaven, than what we may do to get thither. How soon discourse as…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-38The setting is the final Passover meal of Jesus on Thursday evening. During this meal, Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus. John does not describe the meal itself like the Synoptic Gospels do (Matthew 26:17–29; Mark 14:12–25; Luke 22:7–20; see also 1 Corinthians 11:23–26). John focuses on other activities at the event, such as: the foot washing (John 13:1–17), Judas’s betrayal (13:18–30), and the prediction of Peter’s denials (13:31–38).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-3836-38. Peter said--seeing plainly in these directions how to behave themselves, that He was indeed going from them. Lord, whither guest thou?--having hardly a glimmer of the real truth. Jesus answered, ... thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards--How different from what He said to the Jews: "Whither I go ye cannot come" (Joh 8:21).Read the comment
Topics related to John 13:36
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 13
- 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
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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