John 11:10 kjv
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
John 11:10 nkjv
But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
John 11:10 niv
It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light."
John 11:10 esv
But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
John 11:10 nlt
But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light."
John 11 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 4:18-19 | But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more...the way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. | Righteousness illuminates, wickedness causes stumbling. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness... | Reversing light and darkness leads to judgment. |
| Isa 59:9-10 | Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; We wait for light, but there is darkness...we stumble at noonday as in the night. | Lack of righteousness leads to spiritual stumbling and blindness. |
| Jer 13:16 | Give glory to the LORD your God before He causes darkness, and before your feet stumble On the dark mountains... | Consequences of not glorifying God lead to spiritual darkness. |
| Jn 1:4-5 | In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. | Jesus is the original, unquenchable light. |
| Jn 1:9 | That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. | Jesus is the true, universal illuminator. |
| Jn 8:12 | Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." | Following Jesus guarantees light, avoiding darkness. |
| Jn 9:5 | As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. | Jesus's presence brings light to the world. |
| Jn 12:35 | Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going." | Urgency to walk in Christ's light before it departs. |
| Jn 12:46 | I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. | Christ's mission is to remove darkness from believers. |
| Rom 13:12-13 | The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day... | Believers should live righteously as children of light. |
| Eph 5:8 | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. | Call to live as new creations in Christ's light. |
| 1 Thess 5:5 | You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. | Identity of believers as belonging to light, not darkness. |
| 1 Jn 1:6-7 | If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light... | Walking in light is a condition for true fellowship with God. |
| 1 Jn 2:9-11 | He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light...but he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going... | Love for brethren is evidence of walking in light, hatred is walking in darkness. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. | God's word provides guidance, preventing stumbling. |
| Mat 6:22-23 | The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. | The condition of one's spiritual discernment affects internal light. |
| Luke 11:34-36 | The lamp of the body is the eye... If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light. | Importance of a "good" or spiritual eye for internal illumination. |
| Jude 1:13 | ...wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. | Those without spiritual light face eternal darkness. |
| Job 12:25 | They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man. | Those who lose God's light are left to stumble helplessly. |
| John 3:19 | And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light... | Rejection of Christ's light brings condemnation. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. | Spiritual blindness caused by Satan prevents light from shining. |
| Acts 26:18 | to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God... | Evangelism turns people from spiritual darkness to light. |
John 11 verses
John 11 10 Meaning
This verse encapsulates a profound spiritual principle presented by Jesus: attempting to navigate life without the essential divine "light" inevitably leads to spiritual error and moral failure. It illustrates that spiritual guidance and discernment stem from an inner illumination provided by Christ, and its absence leaves an individual prone to faltering, sin, and spiritual blindness. It draws a stark contrast with the security and clarity of walking in the "day" with the "light."
John 11 10 Context
John 11:10 occurs during a pivotal moment in Jesus's ministry as He prepares to raise Lazarus from the dead. After Lazarus had fallen ill and died, Jesus informed His disciples of His intention to return to Judea, near Jerusalem, where recently the Jews had tried to stone Him (Jn 10:31). The disciples, concerned for Jesus's safety, warned Him about the danger (Jn 11:8). In response, Jesus provided a two-part analogy about "day" and "night." Verse 9 speaks of the safety of walking in the "day" while the "light of this world" is present, representing a divinely appointed time and His own physical presence as the Light of the World. Verse 10, then, is the contrasting consequence for those who operate without this "light." This analogy reassures His disciples that His actions are within God's divine timetable ("day") and therefore safe, while simultaneously offering a deeper spiritual lesson on the necessity of Christ's internal guidance.
John 11 10 Word analysis
- But (Δὲ - De): A common Greek conjunction signaling a transition or contrast. Here, it strongly sets the scene apart from the previous verse, drawing a direct counterpoint.
- if anyone (ἐάν τις - ean tis): A conditional particle followed by an indefinite pronoun. It introduces a hypothetical but probable situation, emphasizing that this principle applies universally to any individual.
- walks (περιπατῇ - peripatē): A present active subjunctive verb, indicating continuous action. In the New Testament, "walk" frequently denotes one's conduct, manner of life, or spiritual journey, not just physical movement.
- in the night (ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ - en tē nykti): Literally "in the night." This phrase carries a rich metaphorical meaning in biblical literature, often signifying spiritual darkness, ignorance, sin, or alienation from God's truth and presence. It stands in direct opposition to "the day" from the preceding verse.
- he stumbles (προσκόπτει - proskoptei): A present active indicative verb meaning to strike against, trip, or cause to stumble. In a spiritual sense, it means to err, fall into sin, be offended, or face spiritual difficulties and failure. The present tense signifies this as an immediate and ongoing consequence.
- because (ὅτι - hoti): A causal conjunction, introducing the reason or explanation for the stumbling.
- the light (τὸ φῶς - to phōs): The definite article "the" indicates a specific, understood light. In John's Gospel, "the Light" primarily refers to Jesus Christ Himself (Jn 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). Its absence here implies the absence of His divine presence, truth, and spiritual illumination.
- is not (οὐκ ἔστιν - ouk estin): A strong negation. It indicates a complete lack, not merely a deficiency or a dimming, highlighting the absolute necessity of this light.
- in him (ἐν αὐτῷ - en autō): Refers to the internal presence of light within the person. This is crucial: the stumbling is due to an internal absence, contrasting with the "light of this world" (external observation) in v.9. It underscores the need for Christ's truth and Spirit to indwell and guide an individual from within.
Words-Group Analysis
- "But if anyone walks in the night": This phrase establishes the condition for spiritual failure. It describes a life lived outside of divine truth and purpose, often implying a willful ignorance or rejection of Christ's light. It speaks to a state of spiritual peril and moral disorientation.
- "he stumbles": This short, declarative phrase expresses the inevitable and direct consequence. Stumbling here is not an accident but the predictable outcome of navigating a path without proper illumination and guidance, leading to sin, error, and separation from God.
- "because the light is not in him": This provides the foundational reason. The root cause of stumbling is not external circumstance, but an internal deficiency – the absence of Christ's spiritual illumination, wisdom, and guiding presence within the individual. It reveals a fundamental lack of spiritual life and understanding.
John 11 10 Bonus section
The "light" in this verse, specifically "the light... in him," implicitly touches on a major polemic in John's Gospel against religious systems and leaders who claimed spiritual authority but rejected Jesus. These individuals, despite their external adherence to the law or traditions, were fundamentally walking "in the night" because the true Light, Christ, was not in them (Jn 9:39-41, John 3:19-21). This verse underscores that mere external adherence or human wisdom is insufficient; internal, divine illumination is paramount. The analogy highlights spiritual perception as an internal condition. The "light of this world" (v.9) refers to Jesus himself; its absence within a person therefore indicates a lack of relationship with Him, signifying spiritual blindness and ultimately eternal death (Jude 1:13).
John 11 10 Commentary
John 11:10 delivers a crucial message concerning spiritual navigation and the source of true insight. Jesus’s analogy of "day" and "night" serves not just as an assurance of His divine protection during God's appointed time, but also as a universal spiritual principle. While "walking in the day" (v.9) represents aligning with God’s will and operating under the illumination of Christ, "walking in the night" depicts a life lived apart from His divine guidance. Such a path, Jesus declares, results in unavoidable "stumbling." This stumbling refers to more than physical falls; it encompasses moral failures, spiritual error, confusion, and a lack of true understanding or discernment. The decisive point is the reason for this stumbling: "the light is not in him." This is not an external problem but an internal one—the absence of Christ's indwelling truth, Spirit, and the resulting spiritual insight that keeps one from straying. The verse emphasizes that true security and moral uprightness in life's journey come from having Jesus, the Light of the World, living within and guiding one's very being.