God’s Word Translation
John 8:12
12Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark.”
John 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
- New International Version (NIV)When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Context of John 8:12
10Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?” 11The woman answered, “No one, sir.” Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you either. Go! From now on don’t sin.” Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark.” 13The Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn’t true.” 14Jesus replied to them, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is true because I know where I came from and where I’m going. However, you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going.
Read all of John 8John 8:12 word by word
Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. ὁ ἀκολουθῶν ἐμοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἀλλ᾽ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
- of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
- he that followethἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
- shallπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- darknessσκοτίαskotia · darknessG4653
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- shall haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- of lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
Cross-references for John 8:12
- John 1:4He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.
- John 3:19This is why people are condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather than the light because their actions were evil.
- John 9:5As long as I’m in the world, I’m light for the world.”
- John 12:35Jesus answered the crowd, “The light will still be with you for a little while. Walk while you have light so that darkness won’t defeat you. Those who walk in the dark don’t know where they’re going.
- Isaiah 9:2The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light. The light will shine on those who live in the land of death’s shadow.
- Isaiah 42:6I, the Lord, have called you to do what is right. I will take hold of your hand. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people, as my light to the nations.
- Isaiah 49:6Now, the Lord says, “You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.”
- Isaiah 60:1Arise! Shine! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned.
- Hosea 6:3Let’s learn about the Lord. Let’s get to know the Lord. He will come to us as sure as the morning comes. He will come to us like the autumn rains and the spring rains that water the ground.
- Malachi 4:2“The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall.
- Matthew 4:14So what the prophet Isaiah had said came true:
- Luke 1:78A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful.
- Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.”
- Acts 13:47The Lord gave us the following order: ‘I have made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.’ ”
- Acts 26:23They said that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to come back to life and would spread light to Jewish and non-Jewish people.”
- Psalms 18:28O Lord, you light my lamp. My God turns my darkness into light.
Commentaries on John 8:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Then spake Jesus again unto them - Allowing the story about the woman taken in adultery to be authentic, and to stand here in its proper place, we may consider that our Lord, having begun to teach the people in the temple, was interrupted by the introduction of this woman by the scribes and Pharisees; and now, having dismissed them and the woman also, he resumes his discourse. I am the light of the world - The fountain whence an intellectual light and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12I am the light of the world - See the notes at John 1:4, John 1:9.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-16Verses 12-16 Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more. What a dark dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to keep them from destroying error…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12During the Festival of Tabernacles, people filled 16 gold bowls in the temple's inner courts with oil and lit them. Jesus stood under these lights in the temple and said that he was now the source of the light of the world (8:20). The light of Jesus brings salvation to both Israel and the world, regardless of race or location.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-5912. I am the light of the world--As the former references to water (Joh 4:13, 14; 7:37-39) and to bread (Joh 6:35) were occasioned by outward occurrences, so this one to light. In "the treasury" where it was spoken (see on Joh 8:20) stood two colossal golden lamp-stands, on which hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after the evening sacrifice (probably every evening during the feast of tabernacles), diffusing their brilliancy, it is said, over all the…Read the comment
Topics related to John 8:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 8
- 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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