John 12:20

John 12:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
• New International Version (NIV)Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration

Context of John 12:20

18For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!” Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

John 12:20 word by word

Ἦσαν δὲ Ἕλληνές τινες ἐκ τῶν ἀναβαινόντων ἵνα προσκυνήσωσιν ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• there wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• GreeksἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
• amongἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• them that came upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• to worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the feastὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the feastἑορτήheortē · festivalG1859
• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443

Cross-references for John 12:20

• John 7:35Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
• Mark 7:26The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
• Acts 14:1Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
• Acts 16:1Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.
• Acts 17:4And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
• Acts 20:21testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Acts 21:28crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
• Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
• Galatians 2:3Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
• Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
• 1 Kings 8:41“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake
• Isaiah 11:10“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”
• Isaiah 60:2For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
• Isaiah 66:19I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.

Commentaries on John 12:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Certain Greeks - There are three opinions concerning these: That they were proselytes of the gate or covenant, who came up to worship the true God at this feast. That they were real Jews, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language. 3. That they were mere Gentiles, who never knew the true God: and hearing of the fame of the temple, or the miracles of our Lord, came to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, and to worship him according to the manner…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Certain Greeks - In the original, “some Hellenists” - -the name commonly given to the Greeks. The same name was commonly used by the Jews to denote all the pagan nations, because most of those whom they knew spoke the Greek language, John 7:34; Romans 1:16; Romans 2:9-10; Romans 3:9. “Jews and Greeks.” The Syriac translates this place, “Some of the Gentiles.” There are three opinions in regard to these persons: 1.that they were Jews who spoke the Greek…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-26Verses 20-26 In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Among those people attracted to Jesus were some Greeks who believed in Israel's God. They had come to the Passover feast to worship (12:19). The mission of Jesus was not only for Israel but for the entire world (10:16; 11:52). After the resurrection of Jesus, the church's mission was to go beyond Judea to Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-3620-22. Greeks--Not Grecian Jews, but Greek proselytes to the Jewish faith, who were wont to attend the annual festivals, particularly this primary one, the Passover. The same came therefore to Philip ... of Bethsaida--possibly as being from the same quarter. saying, Sir, we would see Jesus--certainly in a far better sense than Zaccheus (Lu 19:3). Perhaps He was then in that part of the temple court to which Gentile proselytes had no access. "These men…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:20

• Andrew
• Curiosity
• Desire
• Feasts
• Greece
• Jerusalem
• Jesus Continued
• Philip

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Andrew
• Grecians; Greeks
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• King, Christ As
• Luke, the Evangelist
• Philip (2)

Commentaries on John 12

• 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