John 12:34

John 12:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
• New International Version (NIV)The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Context of John 12:34

32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33He said this to indicate how he was going to die. The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?” 35Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

John 12:34 word by word

Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The peopleὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• abidethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• everαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• sayestλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• The Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• be lifted upὑψόωhupsoō · to lift upG5312
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for John 12:34

• John 10:34Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’
• John 15:25This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’
• Romans 3:19Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
• Romans 5:18Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
• 2 Samuel 7:13He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.
• Psalms 72:7May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.
• Psalms 89:36His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun.
• Psalms 110:4The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
• Isaiah 9:7His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
• Isaiah 53:8Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
• Ezekiel 37:24“My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.
• Daniel 2:44“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.
• Daniel 7:14He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
• Micah 4:7Those who are weak will survive as a remnant; those who were exiles will become a strong nation. Then I, the Lord, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever.”
• John 3:14And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
• John 5:25“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.

Commentaries on John 12:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34We have heard out of the law - That is, out of the sacred writings. The words here are quoted from Psalm 110:4; but the Jews called every part of the sacred writings by the name, The Law, in opposition to the words or sayings of the scribes. See on John 10:34; (note). That Christ abideth for ever - There was no part of the law nor of the Scripture that said the Messiah should not die; but there are several passages that say as expressly as they can that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34We have heard out of the law - Out of the Old Testament; or rather we have been so taught by those who have interpreted the law to us. That Christ - That the Messiah. Abideth for ever - Will remain forever, or will live forever. The doctrine of many of them certainly was that the Messiah would not die; that he would reign as a prince forever over the people. This opinion was founded on such passages of Scripture as these: Psalm 110:4, “Thou art a priest…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-36Verses 34-36 The people drew false notions from the Scriptures, because they overlooked the prophecies that spoke of Christ's sufferings and death. Our Lord warned them that the light would not long continue with them, and exhorted them to walk in it, before the darkness overtook them. Those who would walk in the light must believe in it, and follow Christ's directions. But those who have not faith, cannot behold what is set forth in Jesus, lifted up on…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34Many people in the time of Jesus believed that the Messiah would live forever and defeat his enemies. They expected a strong and victorious ruler. Because of this belief, the words Jesus spoke confused them. Who is this Son of Man?: The Jews did not understand what sort of Messiah planned to die.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3434. We have heard out of the law--the scriptures of the Old Testament (referring to such places as Psa 89:28, 29; 110:4; Da 2:44; 7:13, 14). that Christ--the Christ "endureth for ever." and how sayest thou, The Son of Man must be lifted up, &c.--How can that consist with this "uplifting?" They saw very well both that He was holding Himself up as the Christ and a Christ to die a violent death; and as that ran counter to all their ideas of the Messianic…Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:34

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Son of man
• Bible
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Andrew
• Apocalyptic Literature

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