John 12:34

John 12:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
• New International Version (NIV)The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Context of John 12:34

32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” 33Now He was saying this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die. The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

John 12:34 word by word

Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;¶Read the interlinear

• The crowdὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• Him, “We have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• the Lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• is to remainμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• foreverαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165
• and howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• You sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of Manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• liftedὑψόωhupsoō · to lift upG5312
• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• is thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for John 12:34

• John 10:34Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods’?
• John 15:25But this has happened so that the word that is written in their Law will be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me for no reason.’
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
• Romans 5:18So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind.
• 2 Samuel 7:13He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
• Psalms 72:7May the righteous flourish in his days, As well as an abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
• Psalms 89:36His descendants shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me.
• Psalms 110:4The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
• Isaiah 9:7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.
• Isaiah 53:8By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off from the land of the living For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?
• Ezekiel 37:24“And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes and follow them.
• Daniel 2:44And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
• Daniel 7:14And to Him was given dominion, Honor, and a kingdom, So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
• Micah 4:7I will make those who limp a remnant, And those who have strayed a mighty nation, And the Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion From now on and forever.
• John 3:14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
• John 5:25Truly, truly, I say to you, a time is coming and even now has arrived, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

Commentaries on John 12:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34We have heard out of the law - That is, out of the sacred writings. The words here are quoted from Psalm 110:4; but the Jews called every part of the sacred writings by the name, The Law, in opposition to the words or sayings of the scribes. See on John 10:34; (note). That Christ abideth for ever - There was no part of the law nor of the Scripture that said the Messiah should not die; but there are several passages that say as expressly as they can that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34We have heard out of the law - Out of the Old Testament; or rather we have been so taught by those who have interpreted the law to us. That Christ - That the Messiah. Abideth for ever - Will remain forever, or will live forever. The doctrine of many of them certainly was that the Messiah would not die; that he would reign as a prince forever over the people. This opinion was founded on such passages of Scripture as these: Psalm 110:4, “Thou art a priest…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-36Verses 34-36 The people drew false notions from the Scriptures, because they overlooked the prophecies that spoke of Christ's sufferings and death. Our Lord warned them that the light would not long continue with them, and exhorted them to walk in it, before the darkness overtook them. Those who would walk in the light must believe in it, and follow Christ's directions. But those who have not faith, cannot behold what is set forth in Jesus, lifted up on…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34Many people in the time of Jesus believed that the Messiah would live forever and defeat his enemies. They expected a strong and victorious ruler. Because of this belief, the words Jesus spoke confused them. Who is this Son of Man?: The Jews did not understand what sort of Messiah planned to die.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3434. We have heard out of the law--the scriptures of the Old Testament (referring to such places as Psa 89:28, 29; 110:4; Da 2:44; 7:13, 14). that Christ--the Christ "endureth for ever." and how sayest thou, The Son of Man must be lifted up, &c.--How can that consist with this "uplifting?" They saw very well both that He was holding Himself up as the Christ and a Christ to die a violent death; and as that ran counter to all their ideas of the Messianic…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:34

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Son of man
• Bible
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Andrew
• Apocalyptic Literature

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