John 12:48 kjv
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
John 12:48 nkjv
He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him? the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
John 12:48 niv
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
John 12:48 esv
The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
John 12:48 nlt
But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.
John 12 48 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 3:18 | "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe is judged already..." | Unbelief brings present condemnation. |
| Jn 5:22 | "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son..." | All judgment belongs to Jesus. |
| Jn 5:24 | "He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life..." | Acceptance of word brings life, rejection judgment. |
| Jn 5:27 | "And has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." | Christ's authority as Son of Man in judgment. |
| Jn 8:47 | "He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear because you are not of God." | Failure to hear God's words reveals spiritual state. |
| Jn 14:24 | "He who does not love Me does not keep My words..." | Not keeping words reflects lack of love for Jesus. |
| Lk 10:16 | "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me..." | Rejecting Jesus's messengers is rejecting Him. |
| Mt 7:26-27 | "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them..." | Hearing words without doing them leads to ruin. |
| Mk 16:16 | "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." | Clear consequence of belief vs. unbelief. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword..." | The inherent power and discerning nature of God's Word. |
| Rom 2:16 | "...when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." | God's judgment through Christ according to the Gospel. |
| 2 Thes 1:8 | "...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel..." | Judgment for disobedience to the Gospel. |
| Rev 20:12 | "And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books." | Final judgment based on deeds, consistent with word. |
| Jn 1:11 | "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." | Rejection of Christ by His chosen people. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void..." | God's word always accomplishes its purpose. |
| Deut 18:19 | "whoever will not hear My words which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him." | Judgment for not listening to God's prophet (foreshadows Christ). |
| Dan 12:2 | "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." | Eschatological awakening to varied destinies. |
| Acts 17:31 | "He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained." | God has set a day for global judgment by Christ. |
| 2 Tim 4:1 | "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom..." | Christ's role as judge of living and dead. |
| Psa 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." | The word guides the believer away from darkness. |
| Jude 1:6 | "And the angels who did not keep their proper domain... He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day..." | Certainty of judgment for rebellion. |
John 12 verses
John 12 48 Meaning
John 12:48 declares that anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and refuses to accept His teachings faces a certain judgment, not by another arbiter, but by the very words that Jesus Himself has spoken. This judgment will definitively occur "in the last day," emphasizing the future and inescapable divine reckoning for unbelief and disobedience to Christ's revelation. It underscores the ultimate authority of Jesus's message as the standard for eternal destiny.
John 12 48 Context
John 12:48 marks the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry in the Gospel of John, specifically within what scholars consider a summary or retrospective discourse (Jn 12:44-50) after recounting significant events like the raising of Lazarus and the triumphal entry. Prior to this verse, Jesus has proclaimed Himself as the Light of the world (Jn 12:46), stressing the need to believe in Him to avoid spiritual darkness. The surrounding verses (Jn 12:44-50) articulate core Johannine Christology, emphasizing Jesus' oneness with the Father, His divine mission, and the inherent consequences of belief and unbelief. Historically, this discourse reflects the division among the Jews regarding Jesus' identity – some believed, but many, particularly leaders, rejected Him, leading to their blindness (Jn 12:40). This verse serves as a final, profound warning from Jesus Himself concerning the eternal implications of choosing to reject the divine truth He presented.
John 12 48 Word analysis
He that rejecteth me, (ὁ ἀθετῶν με - ho athetōn me)
- He that rejecteth (ὁ ἀθετῶν): From Greek athetō (ἀθετέω), meaning to set aside, annul, make void, repudiate, reject, despise. It implies a deliberate, active, and scornful refusal or dismissal of someone or something, treating it as having no authority or validity. It is more than just not believing; it is an active repudiation.
- me (με): Direct rejection of Jesus Himself, His person, authority, and identity. This is personal and comprehensive.
and receiveth not my words, (καὶ μὴ λαμβάνων τὰ ῥήματά μου - kai mē lambanōn ta rhēmatā mou)
- receiveth not (μὴ λαμβάνων): From Greek lambanō (λαμβάνω), meaning to take, receive, accept. Coupled with mē (μή), it indicates an active refusal to accept or grasp what is offered. It implies an intentional unwillingness to embrace or acknowledge His teachings.
- my words (τὰ ῥήματά μου): Refers to Jesus' specific utterances, teachings, and spoken message. The close pairing with "rejecteth me" indicates that rejecting His person is inextricably linked with rejecting His divine message. His words embody His person and revelation.
hath one that judgeth him: (ἔχει τὸν κρίνοντα αὐτόν - echei ton krinonta auton)
- hath one that judgeth him: This phrase conveys an existing, imminent reality. It's not that someone else will step in, but rather the act of rejection itself already places the person under a sentence, implying a self-executing aspect of divine judgment (compare Jn 3:18 where one who does not believe "is judged already"). The inherent nature of light exposing darkness is at play.
the word that I have spoken, (ὁ λόγος ὃν ἐλάλησα - ho logos hon elalēsa)
- the word (ὁ λόγος): This refers to Jesus' entire spoken revelation, His teachings, prophecies, and claims about Himself. This Logos encapsulates truth, light, and life. It's the standard.
- that I have spoken (ὃν ἐλάλησα): Emphasizes the origin and divine authority of the message – it proceeds directly from God Incarnate. It confirms the definitive nature of His teaching.
the same shall judge him in the last day. (ἐκεῖνος κρινεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ - ekeinos krinei auton en tē eschatē hēmerā)
- the same shall judge him: Reiterates that it is Jesus' own spoken word that will be the standard and the agent of judgment. This judgment is impartial and based solely on the revelation provided.
- in the last day (ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ): A crucial eschatological term referring to the definite, future, final day of reckoning or judgment (e.g., resurrection day, judgment day). It signifies the consummation of human history and the definitive outcome of faith or unbelief. This emphasizes that while present condemnation exists (Jn 3:18), the ultimate and formal pronouncement and execution of judgment is reserved for this final day.
John 12 48 Bonus section
The Johannine concept of judgment often includes both a present reality and a future eschatological event. For example, Jn 3:18 states that "He who does not believe is judged already." John 12:48 connects this present, self-inflicted condemnation to its formal, explicit ratification "in the last day." This indicates that unbelief is not merely a future sentence but carries immediate spiritual consequences, though the full measure is revealed later. The verse highlights God's justice, not as an arbitrary decree, but as the logical outcome of rejecting revealed truth from the source of all truth, Jesus Christ. His words carry the power and authority of the Father, making them the ultimate and sufficient measure by which humanity will be judged.
John 12 48 Commentary
John 12:48 profoundly asserts the singular and absolute authority of Jesus Christ's words as the final standard for eternal judgment. This verse is not about God needing to gather evidence or apply an external law; rather, Christ's words, full of divine truth and light, inherently expose unbelief and rejection. The very act of rejecting Jesus and His teachings constitutes self-condemnation. Jesus clarifies that His primary mission was not to condemn, but to save (Jn 12:47), yet His spoken revelation inevitably creates a divide, illuminating who has chosen light and who prefers darkness. The ultimate accountability is settled "in the last day," when His proclaimed truth will serve as the unchangeable basis for everyone's final destiny.