New Living Translation
John 1:51
51Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
John 1:51 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
- New International Version (NIV)He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Context of John 1:51
49Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” 50Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
Read all of John 1John 1:51 word by word
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Hereafterἀπόapo · away fromG575
- ye shall seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- openἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- ascendingἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
- descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- ·ἄρτιarti · nowG737
Cross-references for John 1:51
- John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
- John 5:19So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
- John 6:26Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
- John 8:34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.
- John 10:1“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
- John 12:24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
- John 13:16I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.
- John 13:20I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
- John 14:12“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
- John 16:20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
- John 21:18“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
- Ezekiel 1:1On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
- Matthew 3:16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
- Mark 1:10As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.
- Luke 3:21One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
- Acts 7:56And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
Commentaries on John 1:51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 51Verily, verily - Amen, amen. The doubling of this word probably came from this circumstance: that it was written both in Hebrew אמן and in Greek , signifying, it is true. Heaven open - This seems to be a figurative expression: Christ may be understood by this saying to mean, that a clear and abundant revelation of God's will should be now made unto men; that heaven itself should be laid as it were open, and all the mysteries which had been shut up and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 51Verily, verily - In the Greek, “Amen, amen.” The word “amen” means “truly, certainly, so be it” - from the Hebrew verb to confirm, to establish, to be true. It is often used in this gospel. When repeated it expresses the speaker‘s sense of the importance of what he is saying, and the “certainty” that it is as he affirms. Ye shall see - Not, perhaps, with the bodily eyes, but you shall have “evidence” that it is so. The thing shall take place, and you…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 43-51Verses 43-51 See the nature of true Christianity, it is following Jesus; devoting ourselves to him, and treading in his steps. Observe the objection Nathanael made. All who desire to profit by the word of God, must beware of prejudices against places, or denominations of men. They should examine for themselves, and they will sometimes find good where they looked for none. Many people are kept from the ways of religion by the unreasonable prejudices they…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 51Truly, truly (Greek amēn amēn): Jesus often used this phrase to emphasize important points. In John’s Gospel, the Greek word amēn is always doubled. you will all see heaven open: Jesus made the comparison with Jacob clear (see study note on 1:47; see Genesis 28:10–22). Like Jacob, Nathanael would see God at work. Jacob saw a vision at Bethel, where God revealed himself (Genesis 28:19). Jesus himself is the new Bethel. The name Bethel means “house of God.”…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 50-5150-51. Because I said, &c.--"So quickly convinced, and on this evidence only?"--an expression of admiration.Read the comment
Topics related to John 1:51
In the dictionaries
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
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