John 12:40

John 12:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
• New International Version (NIV)“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”

Context of John 12:40

38This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?” 39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts— so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.” 41Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 42Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

John 12:40 word by word

τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ἐπώρωσεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ νοήσωσιν τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ στραφῶσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He hath blindedτυφλόωtuphloō · to blindG5186
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• eyesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hardenedπωρόωpōroō · to hardenG4456
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they shouldὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• notμήmē · notG3361
• understandνοέωnoieō · to understandG3539
• be convertedἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
• I should healἰάομαιiaomai · to healG2390

Cross-references for John 12:40

• John 9:39Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
• 1 Kings 22:20And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ “There were many suggestions,
• Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.
• Ezekiel 14:9“‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel.
• Matthew 13:13That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
• Matthew 15:14so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
• Mark 4:12so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’ ”
• Luke 8:10He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
• Acts 28:26‘Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.
• Romans 11:8As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”
• Exodus 4:21And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.
• Exodus 7:3But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.
• Exodus 14:4And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told.
• Joshua 11:20For the Lord hardened their hearts and caused them to fight the Israelites. So they were completely destroyed without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Romans 9:18So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
• Romans 11:7So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

Commentaries on John 12:40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 40And I should heal them - This verse is taken from Isaiah 6:9, and, perhaps, refers more to the judgments that should fall upon them as a nation, which God was determined should not be averted, than it does to their eternal state. To suppose that the text meant that God was unwilling that they should turn unto him, lest he should be obliged to save them, is an insupportable blasphemy.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 40He hath blinded their eyes - The expression in Isaiah is, “Go, make the heart of this people fat, and shut their eyes.” That is, go and proclaim truth to them truth that will result in blinding their eyes. Go and proclaim the law and the will of God, and the effect will be, owing to the hardness of their heart, that their eyes will be blinded and their hearts hardened. As God knew that this would be the result - as it was to be the effect of the message…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-43Verses 37-43 Observe the method of conversion implied here. Sinners are brought to see the reality of Divine things, and to have some knowledge of them. To be converted, and truly turned from sin to Christ, as their Happiness and Portion. God will heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases. See the power of the world in smothering…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39-40they were unable to believe: John quotes Isaiah 6:10 to explain Israel's lack of belief (see Matthew 13:13–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:26–27). When God's revelation comes, we must believe. If we refuse, the light disappears (John 12:35–36). When God’s light departs, the darkness closes over unbelieving hearts. This means that continued rejection leads to deeper spiritual blindness.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-4137-41. It is the manner of this Evangelist alone to record his own reflections on the scenes he describes; but here, having arrived at what was virtually the close of our Lord's public ministry, he casts an affecting glance over the fruitlessness of His whole ministry on the bulk of the now doomed people. though he had done so many miracles--The word used suggests their nature as well as number.Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:40

• Blindness
• Deafness
• Heart
• Jesus, the Christ
• Quotations and Allusions
• Unbelief
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Blindness
• Conversion
• Harden
• Heal
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of

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