John 1:18

John 1:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
• New King James Version (NKJV)No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
• New Living Translation (NLT)No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

Context of John 1:18

16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. 19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

John 1:18 word by word

Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• No manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• hath seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• at any timeπώποτεpōpote · everG4455
• the only begottenμονογενήςmonogenēs · uniqueG3439
• Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• whichὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the bosomκόλποςkolpos · bosomG2859
• of the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• hath declaredἐξηγέομαιexēgeomai · to tellG1834

Cross-references for John 1:18

• John 6:46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
• Exodus 33:20But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
• Deuteronomy 4:12Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
• Matthew 11:27“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
• Luke 10:22“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
• Colossians 1:15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
• 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
• 1 Timothy 6:16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
• 1 John 4:12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
• John 1:14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 3:16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• 1 John 4:9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
• John 13:23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
• Proverbs 8:30Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,
• Isaiah 40:11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
• Lamentations 2:12They say to their mothers, “Where is bread and wine?” as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their lives ebb away in their mothers’ arms.

Commentaries on John 1:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18No man hath seen God at any time - Moses and others heard his voice, and saw the cloud and the fire, which were the symbols of his presence; but such a manifestation of God as had now taken place, in the person of Jesus Christ, had never before been exhibited to the world. It is likely that the word seen, here, is put for known, as in John 3:32; 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:6, and 3 John 1:11; and this sense the latter clause of the verse seems to require: - No…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18No man hath seen God at any time - This declaration is probably made to show the superiority of the revelation of Jesus above that of any previous dispensation. It is said, therefore, that Jesus “had an intimate knowledge of God,” which neither Moses nor any of the ancient prophets had possessed. God is invisible: no human eyes have seen him; but Christ had a knowledge of God which might be expressed to our apprehension by saying that he saw him. He knew…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after John, but in every other way he was before him. The expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before he appeared on earth as man. All fulness dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18God would not allow Moses to see him directly (Exodus 33:18–20). Only Jesus has seen the Father, so he alone completely knows him and can tell us about him (John 3:32–35; 14:9–10). but the one and only Son: The Son, who sees the Father, is himself God. The Son is not simply a messenger who knows something about God. John explicitly affirms Christ’s deity. Jesus shares the substance of God’s being.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. No man--"No one," in the widest sense. hath seen God--by immediate gaze, or direct intuition. in the bosom of the Father--A remarkable expression, used only here, presupposing the Son's conscious existence distinct from the Father, and expressing His immediate and most endeared access to, and absolute acquaintance with, Him. he--emphatic; As if he should say, "He and He only hath declared Him," because He only can.Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:18

• Confession
• God
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Only Begotten
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Bosom
• Dwell
• Face
• Flesh

Commentaries on John 1

• 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