John 1:39 kjv

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

John 1:39 nkjv

He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

John 1:39 niv

"Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

John 1:39 esv

He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

John 1:39 nlt

"Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

John 1 verses

John 1 39 Meaning

John 1:39 details the pivotal moment when the first two disciples began to follow Jesus. Jesus invited them with an experiential call, "Come and you will see," promising not merely a destination but a profound understanding. Upon their arrival, they saw where He was staying, signifying an initial glimpse into His life and person. Consequently, they stayed with Him, initiating a period of intimate fellowship that day, commencing around the tenth hour. This verse encapsulates the foundational call to personal encounter and abiding with Christ.

John 1 39 Context

John chapter 1 begins by establishing Jesus as the pre-existent Word, God incarnate, and the light of the world. John the Baptist bears witness to Jesus, identifying Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Verse 39 follows John the Baptist's second testimony where he pointed out Jesus to his own disciples (v. 35-37). Two disciples, Andrew being one of them, heard John speak and began to follow Jesus. Jesus then turned and asked them, "What are you seeking?" (v. 38). Their initial response indicated they wanted to know where He was staying, a polite way of seeking a deeper engagement beyond a brief street encounter. Jesus's invitation in verse 39 is a direct, personal answer to their seeking, inviting them into an intimate encounter and immediate discipleship. This verse marks the very beginning of the calling and gathering of Jesus's first followers.

John 1 39 Word analysis

• He said: Refers to Jesus, highlighting His initiative. The Greek verb is ἔλεγεν (elegon), imperfect tense, indicating He kept saying or the ongoing nature of His addressing them. This suggests a responsive but also an active role in drawing them in.

• to them: Referring to Andrew and another unnamed disciple who had previously followed John the Baptist. Their encounter is personal and direct.

• 'Come': The Greek is ἔρχεσθε (erchesthe), a present imperative. It is a direct command inviting immediate action and active engagement. It's not an invitation to passively observe but to personally participate in discovery. This resonates with rabbinic traditions where students were invited to "come" and learn from a teacher.

• 'and you will see': The Greek is ὄψεσθε (opsesthe), a future indicative verb. It promises an outcome—they will experientially understand or discern, not just visually perceive. In the Gospel of John, "seeing" often transcends physical sight to imply spiritual insight, belief, and comprehension (John 6:36, 12:45). Jesus is offering a revelation of Himself through intimate interaction.

• They came: The Greek is ἦλθον (elthon), an aorist verb. It indicates their immediate and decisive response to Jesus's invitation. This shows their earnestness and readiness to step into the unknown.

• therefore: Links their action as a direct consequence of Jesus's invitation. Their "coming" was a result of His calling.

• and saw: The Greek is καὶ εἶδον (kai eidon), also an aorist verb. This refers to the actual experience of perceiving where Jesus resided. It’s an act of confirmation and beginning to understand.

• where He was staying: The Greek uses the verb μένει (menei), which means "to remain," "to abide," or "to dwell." This term is highly significant in John's Gospel (e.g., John 15:4-7). It's not just about seeing a temporary lodging place, but perhaps a glimpse into His manner of life, His state of being, or His true abode, signifying a deeper association.

• and they stayed with Him: The Greek is καὶ ἔμειναν παρ’ αὐτῷ (kai emeinan par' autō), again using a form of μένω (menō). This demonstrates the result of their seeing—they entered into an active communion. Their inquiry about where He was "staying" transformed into their "staying" with Him, signifying the beginning of their spiritual dwelling in His presence. This signifies a profound commitment and the start of discipleship as living in constant fellowship with the teacher.

• that day: Specifies the duration. It marks this as a particular, singular, and foundational day in their spiritual lives, the day their relationship with Jesus truly began.

• for it was about the tenth hour: This specific time marker adds historical verisimilitude and significance. In the Jewish reckoning of time (common for the audience, starting the day at 6 AM), the tenth hour would be around 4:00 PM. This means they only had a few hours left before sunset (the end of the Jewish day), yet they chose to spend those remaining hours with Jesus. This detail emphasizes the immediate and compelling impact of the encounter; despite the lateness of the hour, they deemed it essential to remain with Him, underscoring the spiritual urgency and transformative nature of the moment. This marked a beginning point that transcended the typical boundaries of a day.

• 'Come and you will see': This phrase acts as Jesus's unique methodology for revealing Himself. It's an invitation to empirical discovery and experiential learning, emphasizing that true understanding of Jesus comes through personal encounter and participation rather than mere intellectual ascent. It stands in contrast to solely relying on abstract teaching or secondhand testimony; one must personally come and engage to truly "see." This invites people away from static religious forms towards dynamic, living encounter with the Messiah.

• 'saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him': This highlights a progression from initial observation to profound, participatory fellowship. The desire to simply "see" His dwelling place blossomed into the reality of "dwelling with Him," indicating that knowing Jesus necessitates active communion and an ongoing relationship. It foreshadows the abiding theme critical to John's Gospel, where intimacy with Christ is key to life and fruitfulness. This move from inquiry to indwelling forms the very essence of discipleship.

John 1 39 Bonus section

• Polemics/Contrast: This invitation "Come and you will see" contrasts with rabbinic traditions that often required extensive prior study before gaining access to a master’s deeper teachings. Jesus invites an immediate, personal, and experiential encounter, implying that He Himself is the living truth to be personally revealed.
• The Power of Personal Encounter: The first followers did not follow Jesus based solely on theological doctrines or comprehensive teaching; their faith began with an intimate personal encounter and observation of His life, followed by a decision to stay with Him. This pattern continues through Christian experience, where a living relationship often precedes deeper theological understanding.
• From Seeking to Abiding: In John 1:38, Jesus asks, "What are you seeking?" In verse 39, the answer to their seeking is not merely a verbal explanation but an invitation to "come and see," leading to "staying with Him." This shows that ultimate human seeking finds its fulfillment not in things, but in relationship and abiding with Christ.

John 1 39 Commentary

John 1:39 paints a vibrant picture of the inception of discipleship. Jesus’s invitation, "Come and you will see," is not a directive to a geographical location but an appeal to personal experience. It emphasizes that truly knowing Him isn’t through observation from a distance, but by entering into His life and presence. This call implies that the revelation of Jesus (the "seeing") unfolds in the context of being with Him (the "coming"). The disciples' immediate response to "come" led to them "seeing where He was staying," providing an intimate glimpse into His everyday life. This initial perception quickly transformed into them "staying with Him," symbolizing a commitment to intimate fellowship and the beginning of their journey as apprentices. The detail of the "tenth hour" (4 PM Jewish time) suggests that even though it was late in the day, the urgency and compelling nature of their encounter led them to immediately prioritize spending time with Jesus. This illustrates that an encounter with Christ reorders priorities and demands immediate, sustained attention, laying the groundwork for a life centered on Him.