John 7:38

John 7:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Context of John 7:38

36What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?” 37On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) 40When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”

John 7:38 word by word

ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ γραφή, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ζῶντος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• He that believethπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• onεἰςeis · towardG1519
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• hath saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• bellyκοιλίαkoilia · belly/womb/stomachG2836
• shall flowῥέωrheō · to flowG4482
• riversποταμόςpotamos · riverG4215
• ofὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198

Cross-references for John 7:38

• Deuteronomy 18:15Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
• John 4:14But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
• Job 32:18For I am full of pent-up words, and the spirit within me urges me on.
• Proverbs 10:11The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
• Proverbs 18:4Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.
• Isaiah 12:3With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.
• Isaiah 58:11The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
• Isaiah 59:21“And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!
• Ezekiel 47:1In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side.
• Zechariah 14:8On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter.
• Galatians 5:22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 5:9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Commentaries on John 7:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said - He who receives me as the Messiah, according to what the Scripture has said concerning me; my person, birth, conduct, preaching, and miracles, being compared with what is written there as ascertaining the true Messiah. Out of his belly - from his heart and soul; for in his soul shall this Spirit dwell. Living water - As a true spring is ever supplied with water from the great deep, with which it has…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-39Verses 37-39 On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, the Jews drew water and poured it out before the Lord. It is supposed that Christ alluded to this. If any man desires to be truly and for ever happy, let him apply to Christ, and be ruled by him. This thirst means strong desires after spiritual blessings, which nothing else can satisfy; so the sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit, were intended by the waters which Jesus called…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-38Living water: See 4:10–14. A water ceremony was held each day during the Feast of Tabernacles, with prayer for God to send rain in the late autumn. The final day, called the great day, was the feast's most important moment. On this day, they repeated the ceremony seven times. They poured water over the altar while Levites sang Isaiah 12:3 (see Zechariah 14:8; see also Mishnah Sukkah chapter 4). If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink: Jesus…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-3937-39. the last day, that great day of the feast--the eighth (Le 23:39). It was a sabbath, the last feast day of the year, and distinguished by very remarkable ceremonies. "The generally joyous character of this feast broke out on this day into loud jubilation, particularly at the solemn moment when the priest, as was done on every day of this festival, brought forth, in golden vessels, water from the stream of Siloah, which flowed under the…Read the comment

Topics related to John 7:38

• Belly
• Faith
• Holy Spirit
• Influence
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Peace
• Power
• Quotations and Allusions
• Salvation
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Belly
• Division
• Faith
• Judge
• Thither
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit
• Bible, the
• Inspiration
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology

Commentaries on John 7

• 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
• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings