New International Version
John 8:12
12When 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Context of John 8:12
10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” 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.” 13The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 14Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come 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 that life was the light of all mankind.
- John 3:19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
- John 9:5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
- Isaiah 9:2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
- Isaiah 42:6“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
- Isaiah 49:6he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
- Isaiah 60:1“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
- Hosea 6:3Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
- Malachi 4:2But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.
- Matthew 4:14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
- Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
- Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
- Acts 13:47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Acts 26:23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
- Psalms 18:28You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
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
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