John 1:47 kjv
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 1:47 nkjv
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"
John 1:47 niv
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."
John 1:47 esv
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
John 1:47 nlt
As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel ? a man of complete integrity."
John 1 47 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 32:2 | Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. | Direct echo: lack of deceit, righteousness. |
| Ps 24:3-4 | Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? ... He who has clean hands and a pure heart... does not swear deceitfully. | Purity of heart and lack of deceit for approaching God. |
| Job 1:8 | "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man...?" | Character commendation for integrity. |
| Zeph 3:13 | "The remnant of Israel will do no unrighteousness and speak no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths." | Future genuine Israel will be without deceit. |
| Rom 9:6-7 | "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel... It is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children..." | True Israel is defined by spiritual reality, not lineage. |
| Rom 2:28-29 | "...not all outward circumcision is circumcision... real circumcision is a matter of the heart..." | Inward truth over outward observance. |
| 2 Cor 1:12 | "...that in holiness and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, we have lived in the world..." | Sincerity and integrity in Christian life. |
| 1 Pet 2:1 | "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy..." | Command to remove deceit from Christian life. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Avoid self-deception and live authentically. |
| Phil 2:15 | "...that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation..." | Believers called to blamelessness. |
| Jn 2:24-25 | "...Jesus did not entrust himself to them... he knew what was in man." | Jesus' perfect knowledge of human hearts. |
| Heb 4:13 | "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." | God's absolute knowledge of all things. |
| Ps 139:2 | "You know when I sit down and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." | God's deep understanding of human thoughts. |
| Prov 11:3 | "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them." | Contrast: integrity leads, deceit destroys. |
| Matt 23:25-28 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside... inside they are full of hypocrisy. | Contrast: outwardly religious, inwardly deceitful. |
| Rev 14:4-5 | "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes... no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless." | Characteristics of those redeemed and pure. |
| Gen 27:35 | "...Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing." | Jacob's deception contrasts with Nathanael's character. |
| Gen 32:28 | "Then he said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.'" | Jacob renamed Israel; his legacy now tied to striving, but Nathanael embodies a higher integrity. |
| Deut 18:21-22 | "How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?"... If the word does not come to pass... the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. | Knowing true prophets from false (absence of deceit/false claims). |
| Jer 9:8 | "Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, while inwardly setting traps for him." | Danger and pervasiveness of deceit in others. |
| Titus 2:7-8 | "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works... Sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame." | Blameless conduct, absence of falsehood. |
| Jn 1:49 | "Nathanael answered him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!'" | Nathanael's honest response to Jesus' truth. |
John 1 verses
John 1 47 Meaning
John 1:47 reveals Jesus' divine omniscience and His profound insight into the human heart. When Jesus sees Nathanael approaching, He declares him to be a "true Israelite" (Gk: alethōs Israēlīte), a person who embodies the genuine spiritual qualities that the nation of Israel was intended to represent before God. The core of this commendation is the phrase "in whom there is no deceit" (Gk: en hō dolos ouk estin), signifying sincerity, integrity, and lack of hidden motives or guile. This sets Nathanael apart from those who might profess faith or adhere to external religious practices but lack true inward piety and honesty before God and others. It is an affirmation of a soul unblemished by cunning or falsehood.
John 1 47 Context
John 1:47 is situated immediately after Philip's invitation to Nathanael to "Come and see" Jesus, whom he believes is the Messiah prophesied by Moses and the Prophets. Nathanael's initial cynical question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?", reveals the regional prejudices common in his time. When Nathanael then approaches Jesus, this verse marks Jesus' profound and unsolicited commendation of Nathanael's inner character. This statement is remarkable because Jesus had never met Nathanael before, setting the stage for Nathanael's subsequent awe-filled confession of faith. Historically and culturally, the term "Israelite" carried significant weight, referring to the covenant people of God, descended from Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel after his encounter with God. However, Jacob himself was known for cunning and deceit. Jesus' pronouncement distinguishes Nathanael as a "true" or "genuine" Israelite, someone who embodies the ideal spiritual qualities that the nation should possess, particularly the absence of the very deceit (Gk: dolos) that marked their patriarch Jacob. This implies a subtle critique or contrast against a superficial adherence to outward forms of religion, characteristic of some Jewish leadership of the day who focused on external piety while harboring hypocrisy.
John 1 47 Word analysis
- Jesus (Gk: Iēsous): The divine Son of God, demonstrating divine insight and knowledge.
- saw (Gk: eiden, from horaō): More than mere physical sight; implies an understanding, a perceptive or discerning gaze into the nature of Nathanael.
- Nathanael (Heb: Nethan'el): "Gift of God" or "God has given." One of Jesus' earliest disciples, demonstrating an initial skepticism but ultimate integrity.
- coming toward him: Indicates movement and openness to encounter, a willingness to engage despite initial doubts.
- said of him: Jesus' pronouncement, a public affirmation that stems from a private, divine knowledge.
- Behold (Gk: Ide): An exclamation calling for attention, emphasizing the significance of what is about to be declared.
- an Israelite: Referring to one descended from Jacob, the patriarch renamed "Israel" (one who strives with God). Symbolically, the people of God's covenant.
- indeed (Gk: alēthōs): Truly, genuinely, authentically. Emphasizes that Nathanael embodies the genuine spiritual ideal of an Israelite, not just the name or lineage. It implies spiritual truth over mere ethnic identity.
- in whom there is no deceit (Gk: en hō dolos ouk estin): The pinnacle of the commendation.
- deceit (Gk: dolos): Guile, cunning, treachery, craftiness, insincerity, artifice. This word stands in stark contrast to sincerity and integrity.
- The phrase "no deceit" highlights Nathanael's inner character, indicating purity of heart, honesty, and freedom from cunning or hidden motives. This aligns him with righteous individuals described in Psalms (e.g., Ps 32:2). It implicitly contrasts with Jacob, the namesake of "Israel," who himself resorted to deceit.
John 1 47 Bonus section
The mention of Nathanael under the fig tree (implied by John 1:48, Jesus' later statement) adds another layer of depth to Jesus' divine knowledge and Nathanael's character. In Jewish tradition, sitting under a fig tree could symbolize private study of the Torah, meditation, or a place of personal devotion and reflection. When Jesus says He "saw" Nathanael there, it implies an intimate knowledge of his private life and devotion, further underscoring Jesus' supernatural insight. This deep, personal knowledge served as irrefutable proof to Nathanael that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, solidifying his initial conversion experience. Furthermore, Jesus' commendation also subtly sets a high standard for those who would follow Him, emphasizing that the kingdom of God seeks men and women of sincerity and honesty, those whose internal character matches their outward profession of faith.
John 1 47 Commentary
John 1:47 stands as a powerful testament to Jesus' divine nature and His emphasis on inward sincerity over outward show. Jesus, possessing a profound, divine discernment, looks beyond Nathanael's initial skeptical facade and perceives the genuine integrity of his heart. This immediate, unsolicited affirmation bypasses Nathanael's cynical query and reveals that what truly matters to Jesus is not a perfect lineage, spotless religious practice, or absence of doubt, but rather a spirit free from deceit.
Nathanael is called an "Israelite indeed" precisely because he embodies the very spiritual truth that the covenant nation of Israel was meant to live out. Unlike the deceptive character sometimes associated with their patriarch Jacob, Nathanael possessed an uprightness that resonated with the divine standard. This highlights that true sonship in God's family, and genuine discipleship, is characterized by an internal transparency, honesty with oneself, with others, and especially with God. It contrasts sharply with the hypocrisy and pretense Jesus would later condemn among religious leaders who were outwardly pious but inwardly corrupt.
The commendation of Nathanael is a powerful call to examine our own hearts for guile. It reassures us that Jesus knows our inner person and values sincerity above all else. This profound knowledge displayed by Jesus immediately disarmed Nathanael's skepticism and led him to a transformative encounter. For practical usage, this verse encourages believers to cultivate integrity, to be authentic in their faith, and to present themselves before God without pretense or hidden agendas, knowing that He sees and values a genuine heart. It is an invitation to spiritual transparency.