New English Translation
John 8:12
12Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
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
10Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”]] Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13So the Pharisees objected, “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!” 14Jesus answered, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am 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 1:4In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
- John 3:19Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.
- John 9:5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35Jesus replied, “The light is with you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- Isaiah 9:2(9:1) The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.
- Isaiah 42:6“I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations,
- Isaiah 49:6he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
- Isaiah 60:1“Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the Lord shines on you!
- Hosea 6:3So let us acknowledge him! Let us seek to acknowledge the Lord! He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn, as certainly as the winter rain comes, as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.”
- Malachi 4:2But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall.
- Matthew 4:14so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
- Luke 1:78Because of our God’s tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high
- Luke 2:32a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
- Acts 13:47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Acts 26:23that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
- Psalms 18:28Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. My God illuminates the darkness around me.
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries