John 12:37 kjv
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
John 12:37 nkjv
But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,
John 12:37 niv
Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
John 12:37 esv
Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,
John 12:37 nlt
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.
John 12 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 12:37 | Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him. | John 12:37 (Verse itself) |
| Isaiah 53:1 | Who has believed what he has heard from us? | Isa 53:1 (Fulfillment of prophecy) |
| John 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | John 1:11 (Rejection) |
| John 3:2 | This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." | John 3:2 (Acknowledgment of signs) |
| Acts 13:41 | "Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if you were told." | Acts 13:41 (Disbelief despite works) |
| Romans 10:14 | How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? | Rom 10:14 (Faith and hearing) |
| John 6:30 | They asked him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you do?" | John 6:30 (Demand for signs) |
| Matthew 11:20-24 | Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you." | Matt 11:20-24 (Unbelief despite mighty works) |
| John 10:25 | Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness about me." | John 10:25 (Works as witness) |
| John 15:24 | If I had not done among them the works that no one else has done, they would not have guilt. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. | John 15:24 (Unwarranted hatred) |
| Hebrews 3:7-11 | Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test by testing me and saw my works for forty years, so I was provoked with this generation, and I said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" | Heb 3:7-11 (Exhortation against hardening) |
| Mark 7:37 | And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." | Mark 7:37 (Testimony to Jesus' works) |
| Luke 4:18 | "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed," | Luke 4:18 (Jesus' self-description) |
| John 9:30-34 | The man answered him, "We do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." They scoffed, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" | John 9:30-34 (Debate over a miracle) |
| 1 Corinthians 1:22 | For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, | 1 Cor 1:22 (Different quests) |
| John 8:24 | I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." | John 8:24 (Necessity of belief) |
| John 5:36 | But the testimony that I have is larger than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness that the Father has sent me. | John 5:36 (Works testifying) |
| Acts 4:4 | But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. | Acts 4:4 (Growth of belief) |
| 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, | 2 Thess 1:7-9 (Judgment on disobedience) |
| Hebrews 12:1 | Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, | Heb 12:1 (Call to perseverance) |
John 12 verses
John 12 37 Meaning
Despite Jesus having performed so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him. This verse highlights the persistent disbelief of many in the face of overwhelming evidence of Jesus' divine power and identity.
John 12 37 Context
This verse appears at the end of John chapter 12, which describes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His interaction with Greeks who wanted to see Him, His private discourse with the disciples about His coming suffering, and His public pronouncements. Despite the celebratory atmosphere of His entry and the miraculous signs He performed throughout His ministry, many remained in disbelief, hardening their hearts against His message. The chapter concludes with a pronouncement from heaven that confirms Jesus' identity, yet this divine testimony was also met with varied interpretations and ultimate disbelief by the crowds. John, the author, emphasizes the theme of belief and unbelief throughout his Gospel, and this verse serves as a somber summation of the pervasive resistance Jesus faced, even in the face of irrefutable evidence of His divine mission.
John 12 37 Word Analysis
- Καὶ (Kai): "And." A common conjunction used to connect clauses or verses. Here, it links the action of Jesus performing signs with the people's response of disbelief.
- Τοσαῦτα (Tosauta): "So many," "so great." This adverb intensifies the quantity or magnitude of the signs Jesus had performed. It underscores the abundance and impact of His miracles.
- Σημεῖα (Semeia): "Signs," "wonders," "miracles." In John's Gospel, semeia often refers to supernatural acts that point to Jesus' divine identity and mission, revealing God's glory and power. They were meant to evoke belief.
- Ἐνώπιον (Enopion): "Before," "in the presence of." This indicates that the signs were done openly, where many could witness them directly.
- Αὐτῶν (Auton): "Them," "their." Refers back to the people mentioned or implied in the preceding context.
- Ἐποίησεν (Epoiesen): "He did," "he performed," "he made." The aorist tense signifies a completed action. Jesus actively performed these signs.
- Πολλὰ (Polla): "Many." Another emphasis on the numerous signs.
- Ἀλλ’ (All’): "But." A strong adversative conjunction, signaling a contrast between the evidence presented and the people's reaction.
- Οὐκ (Ouk): "Not." A definitive negation.
- Ἐπίστευον (Episteuon): "They believed," "they were believing." The imperfect tense indicates a continuous or repeated action, or a state of being. It suggests that their disbelief was ongoing and persistent, despite witnessing the signs. It implies a failure to place their trust or confidence in Jesus.
- Εἰς (Eis): "In," "into." Preposition indicating the object of their belief.
- Αὐτόν (Auton): "Him." Refers to Jesus.
Group Analysis:
- "So many signs before them" (Tosauta semeia enopion auton epoiesen polla): This phrase encapsulates the abundance and public nature of Jesus' miracles, which served as potent evidence of His divine authority. The use of both "so many" and "many" reinforces the overwhelming quantity of these miraculous demonstrations.
- "they still did not believe in him" (all’ ouk episteuon eis auton): This part of the verse directly contrasts the witnessed signs with the stubborn unbelief of the populace. The imperfect tense episteuon is crucial here, indicating not a single act of not believing, but a persistent state of disbelief or refusal to commit faith, even after repeated exposure to evidence.
John 12 37 Bonus Section
The passage implicitly critiques the superficial religiosity of some of Jesus' contemporaries, who might have been impressed by the spectacle of miracles but failed to grasp their deeper theological meaning. This echoes the Old Testament prophets who often condemned Israel's faithlessness despite God's many deliverances. The choice not to believe, even after seeing the "so many signs," reveals that the ultimate barrier to faith is not intellectual doubt but volitional resistance and a hardened heart, as warned against in scriptures like Hebrews 3:15. Jesus Himself laments this lack of belief in verses like Matthew 11:20.
John 12 37 Commentary
The persistent disbelief of the crowds, even after witnessing numerous divine signs, underscores a critical theme in John's Gospel: that seeing miracles does not automatically lead to faith. True belief requires more than just observation; it involves a willing heart to receive Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. The signs were intended to authenticate His claims and lead people to believe, but many chose to reject Him, often due to pre-existing theological biases or an unwillingness to surrender their own understanding and allegiance. This highlights the spiritual blindness that can afflict individuals and groups, even when confronted with the clearest evidence of God's work. The lack of belief was not due to a deficit of evidence, but a deficiency in the heart.