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 they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. 19Thus the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!” Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast. 21So these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew, and they both went and 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 7:35Then the Jewish leaders said to one another, “Where is he going to go that we cannot find him? He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he?
• Mark 7:26The woman was a Greek, of Syrophoenician origin. She asked him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
• Acts 14:1The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed.
• Acts 16:1He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but whose father was a Greek.
• Acts 17:4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
• Acts 20:21testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
• Acts 21:28shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this sanctuary! Furthermore he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple and made this holy place ritually unclean!”
• Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.
• Galatians 2:3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.
• Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
• 1 Kings 8:41“Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation.
• Isaiah 11:10At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.
• Isaiah 60:2For, look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers the nations, but the Lord shines on you; his splendor appears over you.
• Isaiah 66:19I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.

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