New English Translation
John 5:35
35He was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time in his light.
John 5:35 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
- New International Version (NIV)John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.
Context of John 5:35
33You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34(I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) He was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time in his light. 36“But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds I am now doing – testify about me that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time,
Read all of John 5John 5:35 word by word
ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ λύχνος ὁ καιόμενος καὶ φαίνων, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠθελήσατε ἀγαλλιαθῆναι πρὸς ὥραν ἐν τῷ φωτὶ αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- aλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
- burningκαίωkaiō · to kindle/burnG2545
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- a shiningφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- andδέde · thenG1161
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- were willingθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- forπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- a seasonὥραhōra · hourG5610
- to rejoiceἀγαλλιάωagalliaō · to rejoiceG21
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
Cross-references for John 5:35
- John 1:7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him.
- Matthew 11:11“I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.
- Luke 1:15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
- Luke 7:28I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.”
- 2 Peter 1:19Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
- John 6:66After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer.
- Ezekiel 33:31They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.
- Matthew 3:5Then people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him,
- Matthew 11:7While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- Matthew 13:20The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
- Matthew 21:26But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.”
- Mark 6:20because Herod stood in awe of John and protected him, since he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, and yet he liked to listen to John.
- Galatians 4:15Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!
Commentaries on John 5:35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 35He was a burning and a shining light - ̔ ̔ , should be translated, He was a burning and a shining Lamp. He was not , the light of the world, i.e. the sun; but he was ̔ , a lamp, to give a clear and steady light till the sun should arise. It is supposed that John had been cast into prison about four months before this time. See the note on John 4:35. As his light continued no longer to shine, our Lord says he Was. The expression of lamp our Lord took from…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 35He was - It is probable that John had been cast into prison before this. Hence, his public ministry had ceased, and our Saviour says he was such a light. Light - The word in the original properly means a “lamp,” and is not the same which in John 1:4-5 is translated “light.” That is a word commonly applied to the sun, the fountain of light; this means a lamp, or a light that is lit up or kindled artificially from oil or tallow. A teacher is often called a…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-38Verses 30-38 Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had higher testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said. But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as they refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33-35The second witness of Jesus was John the Baptist. John pointed to Jesus and said that he is the Messiah (1:29–34).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33-3533-35. Ye sent unto John--(See Joh 1:19, &c.). receive not testimony ... from man--that is, depend not on human testimony. but ... that ye might be saved--"I refer to him merely to aid your salvation."Read the comment
Topics related to John 5:35
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 5
- 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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