John 12 39

John 12:39 kjv

Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

John 12:39 nkjv

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

John 12:39 niv

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

John 12:39 esv

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

John 12:39 nlt

But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,

John 12 verses

John 12 39 Meaning

John 12:39 articulates a profound and difficult truth concerning persistent unbelief in the face of compelling evidence for Jesus' divinity. It explains that the Jewish people, specifically the leaders, "could not believe" because their hearts and minds had been judicially hardened, a state ordained by God in fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah's ancient prediction. This "inability" is not merely a lack of understanding or stubbornness, but a divinely permitted or active spiritual blindness, indicating God's sovereign control over the ultimate trajectory of humanity's response to Christ.

John 12 39 Context

John 12:39 is found near the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry in the Gospel of John. Chapter 12 summarizes the intense opposition Jesus faced despite performing numerous "signs" (miracles) and speaking with divine authority. Verse 37 notes that "even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him." This widespread unbelief, especially among the religious authorities, presented a theological dilemma for the early church: how could God's chosen people reject their Messiah?

John addresses this paradox by appealing to Old Testament prophecy, explicitly quoting Isaiah. Verse 38 quotes Isaiah 53:1 ("Who has believed our message...?"), explaining why people did not believe. Verse 39 then provides the reason for their inability to believe, introducing Isaiah 6:9-10 (quoted in John 12:40), which prophesied a divine hardening. Historically, Jewish expectations of a Messiah were often politically driven, seeking a liberator from Roman rule rather than a suffering servant or spiritual redeemer. This divergence in understanding, combined with pride and vested interests of the religious leaders, made them resistant to Jesus' claims, leading to their judicial blindness. The "because again Isaiah said" situates this spiritual phenomenon firmly within God's sovereign plan and prophetic foreknowledge.

John 12 39 Word analysis

• Therefore (Διὰ τοῦτο - Dia touto):

  • Word Level: A Greek prepositional phrase meaning "for this reason" or "because of this." It functions as a strong connective, indicating that what follows is a direct consequence or explanation of the preceding statement (their continued unbelief despite the signs, as stated in John 12:37, and the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:1 in John 12:38).
  • Significance: It emphasizes causality, framing the inability to believe not as an accident, but as an intentional outcome within God's overarching plan, explained by prophecy.

• they could not (οὐκ ἠδύναντο - ouk ēdynanto):

  • Word Level: οὐκ (ouk) is a negative particle ("not"). ἠδύναντο (ēdynanto) is the imperfect indicative middle/passive of δύναμαι (dynamai), meaning "to be able," "to have power." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous or repeated inability, a settled state rather than a momentary lapse.
  • Significance: This is a crucial phrase, indicating an inability that goes beyond mere unwillingness. While human responsibility for initial rejection is implied (loving darkness rather than light), this inability here refers to a divinely orchestrated judicial hardening, preventing them from genuinely turning to Christ. It implies a deeper, spiritual incapacity that makes true belief impossible, consistent with the prophet's foretelling.

• believe (πιστεύειν - pisteuein):

  • Word Level: The present active infinitive of πιστεύω (pisteuō), meaning "to believe," "to trust," "to have faith," "to commit oneself." In John's Gospel, it denotes a saving faith that involves personal allegiance and surrender to Jesus as the Son of God.
  • Significance: It refers to genuine, saving faith, not just intellectual acknowledgment. Their inability was not just to mentally accept facts, but to embrace Jesus wholeheartedly as Lord and Savior.

• because (ὅτι - hoti):

  • Word Level: A Greek conjunction meaning "because" or "that." It introduces the clause that provides the reason for the inability to believe.
  • Significance: This firmly establishes prophetic fulfillment as the theological explanation for the unbelief, connecting current events to God's ancient word.

• again (πάλιν - palin):

  • Word Level: A Greek adverb meaning "again," "anew," or "furthermore."
  • Significance: In this context, "again" serves to indicate that Isaiah made another prophetic statement that illuminates the situation. It connects back to the previous quote from Isaiah 53:1 (John 12:38), showing a dual prophetic witness regarding unbelief. Alternatively, it might signify that the condition described by Isaiah was occurring "again" in Jesus' time.

• Isaiah (Ἠσαΐας - Hēsaias):

  • Word Level: The Greek transliteration of the Hebrew prophet ישעיהו (Yesha'yahu).
  • Significance: Emphasizes the authority and antiquity of the prophetic word. The repeated citation of Isaiah (in v.38, v.39-40, and implied by "again") reinforces the divine nature of the unfolding events and underscores the prophetic explanation for Israel's rejection.

• said (εἶπεν - eipen):

  • Word Level: The aorist indicative active of λέγω (legō), meaning "to say," "to speak." A simple past tense verb.
  • Significance: It signifies a direct, historical utterance by the prophet, reinforcing the literal fulfillment of his words.

• Words-group by Words-group Analysis:

  • "Therefore they could not believe": This phrase captures the essence of divine judicial hardening. It's not a suggestion but a declaration of inability rooted in a prior divine decree or allowance, given the consistent pattern of human rejection. This "cannot" implies a spiritual deadness or blindness where light itself causes further hardening due to resistance. It underscores that spiritual transformation is ultimately God's work.
  • "because again Isaiah said": This clarifies the source of the "could not believe." The inability is explained not as an accident of history but as a specific outcome foretold and overseen by God through his prophet. It anchors the reality of unbelief within a robust theological framework of prophetic fulfillment and God's sovereignty. The "again" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Isaiah's witness concerning both the rejection (Isa 53:1, John 12:38) and the reason for it (Isa 6:9-10, John 12:39-40).

John 12 39 Bonus section

• Paradox of Responsibility and Sovereignty: John 12:39, like other hardening passages (e.g., Ex 4:21, Rom 9:18), presents a theological tension. It doesn't negate human responsibility for unbelief (they chose not to believe first, loving darkness, John 3:19), but it affirms God's ultimate sovereign control and judicial action in response to that unbelief. The "could not" signifies a divinely established state, not just psychological weakness.
• The Nature of Hardening: This is not a physical or intellectual inability but a profound spiritual resistance to truth and a confirmation in moral obtuseness. The divine hardening doesn't force sin, but it strengthens the sinner's inclination to reject God. It's often a consequence of continuous spiritual neglect or rebellion, where further revelation leads to further hardening.
• Purpose of Prophecy: The repeated invocation of Isaiah serves not just to explain the event, but to validate God's foreknowledge and his active role in shaping human history and salvation. Even Israel's unbelief is part of God's wider design, contributing to the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles, as seen in Rom 11.

John 12 39 Commentary

John 12:39 stands as a pivotal explanatory verse for the phenomenon of persistent unbelief among those who witnessed Jesus' miracles firsthand. Following the lament in v.37-38 about Israel's widespread rejection despite abundant proof, v.39 attributes this "could not believe" directly to God's sovereign hardening of hearts, as prophesied by Isaiah (Isa 6:9-10). This isn't merely that they were unwilling to believe (which is also true), but that their continuous and deliberate rejection led to a divine withdrawal or confirmation of their spiritual blindness, rendering them unable to truly believe. This is a judicial act, a consequence of prior rebellion and unbelief (as seen with Pharaoh), where their eyes were shut and their hearts calloused by divine design.

This passage reveals a complex interplay between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While humans are held accountable for their choices to reject God's light, John emphasizes that their ultimate inability to turn to Jesus fulfills a divine decree. God is not coercing unbelief against an eager heart, but rather confirming a stubborn heart in its own self-chosen path, using that very unbelief as part of His larger redemptive plan (as elaborated in Romans 9-11). It serves as a reminder of the seriousness of resisting God's call and the profound truth that genuine saving faith is ultimately a gift enabled by God, apart from which people are simply incapable.