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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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

16And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. 19Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

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 6:46Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.
• Exodus 33:20But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
• Deuteronomy 4:12And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.
• Matthew 11:27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
• Luke 10:22All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
• Colossians 1:15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
• 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
• 1 Timothy 6:16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
• 1 John 4:12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
• John 1:14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
• 1 John 4:9In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
• John 13:23Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
• Proverbs 8:30Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
• Isaiah 40:11He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
• Lamentations 2:12They say to their mothers, “Where is grain and wine?” As they swoon like the wounded In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out In their mothers’ bosom.

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
• Only Begotten
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Bosom
• Dwell
• Face
• Flesh
• Guile

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