John 14 30

John 14:30 kjv

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

John 14:30 nkjv

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 14:30 niv

I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,

John 14:30 esv

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

John 14:30 nlt

"I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me,

John 14 verses

h2 MeaningJohn 14:30 communicates Jesus's imminent departure from His disciples and the intensification of the spiritual conflict surrounding His passion. He declares that the "ruler of this world," Satan, is approaching for a decisive confrontation. Crucially, Jesus asserts that this adversary has no claim, no foothold, and no power within Him, stemming from His absolute sinlessness. This divine purity ensures Satan's ultimate inability to truly possess or conquer Christ, even as the "ruler" attempts to orchestrate His death. The verse sets the stage for the climactic events of the crucifixion, affirming Christ's unblemished nature as the basis for His victory.

h2 Cross References

h2 Context

John chapter 14 is a part of Jesus's Upper Room Discourse (Jn 13-17), delivered to His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion. This farewell discourse is a poignant and pivotal moment as Jesus prepares His disciples for His imminent departure, death, and subsequent ascension. He has just announced that He is going away (Jn 13:33), causing great distress among the disciples. Jesus responds by offering profound comfort, promising His return (Jn 14:1-4), the presence of the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-17, 26), and assurance of their continued relationship with Him and the Father. John 14:30 specifically functions as a shift, signaling that the period of direct verbal teaching is nearing its end, to be replaced by a climactic spiritual confrontation leading to His sacrifice. Historically and culturally, this discourse took place during the Passover, a time when the Jewish people commemorated deliverance from bondage, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate deliverance from sin and death. This verse immediately precedes Jesus leading the disciples from the Upper Room towards Gethsemane (Jn 14:31).

h2 Word analysis

• "Hereafter" (Οὐκέτι - Ouketi): Greek adverb meaning "no longer," "from now on not," or "never again." It signifies an impending cessation or a significant turning point, emphasizing the finality or imminence of the change in His direct speaking with them. This signals the approaching climax of His earthly ministry.

• "I will not speak much" (πολλὰ λαλήσω - polla lalēsō): "Polla" means "many things" or "much," and "lalēsō" is "I will speak" (future tense). Jesus means He will not continue prolonged, direct verbal instruction as before. This indicates His focus shifting from teaching to the atoning work on the cross, His upcoming suffering and triumph. This doesn't mean He won't speak at all (He gives further instructions in Jn 15-16, and speaks on the cross), but the period of extended discourse is concluding.

• "for" (γὰρ - gar): A conjunction meaning "for" or "because," introducing the reason for Jesus's curtailed speaking. The coming of the "ruler of this world" is the cause for this immediate shift.

• "the ruler of this world" (ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχων - ho tou kosmou archōn):

  • "ruler" (ἄρχων - archōn): Prince, chief ruler, magistrate. In Johannine literature, this title consistently refers to Satan (Jn 12:31, 16:11). It acknowledges his temporary, permitted dominion over the unregenerate world system due to humanity's rebellion against God.
  • "of this world" (τοῦ κόσμου - tou kosmou): "Kosmos" refers not to the physical creation, but to the fallen human society, alienated from God and hostile to His will, which is currently under Satan's influence (1 Jn 5:19). It represents the system of values, thoughts, and powers opposed to God. This statement is a stark counterpoint to the idea that the existing earthly political and social orders are solely under divine control; instead, it highlights the significant pervasive influence of evil.

• "is coming" (ἔρχεται - erchetai): A present tense verb with a strong sense of immediate future, indicating an imminent and decisive event. This refers to Satan's intensifying efforts to incite Judas's betrayal, influence the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities, and bring about Jesus's crucifixion. It points to the 'hour of darkness' (Lk 22:53), the climax of the conflict.

• "and has nothing in Me" (καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔχει οὐδέν - kai en emoi ouk echei ouden):

  • "nothing" (οὐδέν - ouden): Absolutely nothing. It implies no legal right, no claim, no possession, no point of influence, no sin.
  • "in Me" (ἐν ἐμοὶ - en emoi): Refers to Jesus's innermost being, His character, His will.
  • "has" (ἔχει - echei): Possesses, has a hold over.
  • This critical phrase asserts Jesus's perfect sinlessness. Satan has no point of access, no "hook" or leverage, because Jesus committed no sin (Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22). Unlike every human, Jesus is utterly pure and blameless, meaning Satan cannot accuse Him justly, nor can he find any defect or sin that would give him authority or a claim over Jesus.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Hereafter I will not speak much with you": This marks a turning point. It prepares the disciples for a new phase—one of physical absence, reliance on the Spirit, and remembering Christ's actions and past words. It emphasizes the weight of the preceding teaching and the coming, decisive events.
  • "for the ruler of this world is coming": This signifies the intensification of the spiritual battle leading up to the crucifixion. It explains why Jesus's direct teaching is ceasing; His focus is shifting to confront the cosmic forces of evil that orchestrate His death, paradoxical though it is.
  • "and he has nothing in Me": This is the core declaration of Jesus's impregnable purity. It directly connects His sinless nature to Satan's powerlessness over Him. This divine immunity is the basis for His perfect sacrifice and victory, ensuring that His death is a willing act of atonement, not a triumph for Satan due to any defect in Jesus. It implies that Satan's attack will fail in its ultimate objective to discredit or defeat Jesus spiritually.

h2 Commentary

John 14:30 is a concise yet profound statement within Jesus's final discourse. It acts as a transitional verse, signaling the imminent conclusion of Jesus’s extensive verbal teachings and the beginning of His ultimate sacrificial work. The reason for this shift is the "ruler of this world," identified as Satan, who "is coming" for a decisive engagement. This "coming" refers not to a physical appearance but to the intensified culmination of spiritual opposition orchestrated by Satan through human agents (Judas, the Jewish leadership, Rome) leading directly to the cross. This was the "hour of darkness" where evil forces seemingly had their moment.

However, the powerful counter-declaration, "he has nothing in Me," immediately establishes the boundary of Satan’s power. This affirmation underscores Jesus's unique, absolute sinlessness. Satan can exploit sin; he finds no such foothold in Christ. There is no moral failing, no impurity, no spiritual vulnerability in Jesus that would grant Satan any legitimate claim or authority over Him. This purity meant that Jesus's death was not a defeat for the Son of God forced by the powers of evil, but a voluntary, perfect sacrifice, chosen in obedience to the Father's will (Jn 10:18). Consequently, Satan's greatest act, instigating the crucifixion, inadvertently led to his decisive and complete undoing through the very death he sought to inflict. This verse encapsulates Jesus's impeccable righteousness as the foundation for His ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil.

h2 Bonus section

The "coming" of the ruler of this world, though it leads to the cross, is ironically a moment of his undoing. While Satan instigated Judas’s betrayal (Jn 13:2), tempted Jesus (Lk 4:1-13), and blinded the hearts of men (2 Cor 4:4), his efforts culminating in the crucifixion ultimately served God's sovereign plan for redemption and solidified Satan's eternal defeat (Col 2:15, Heb 2:14-15). Jesus's declaration, "he has nothing in Me," means Satan has no ground for a valid accusation or any moral claim that would impede the perfect sacrifice. This ensured that Jesus’s death was an act of propitiation, not a result of Satan finding inherent sin within Him. The spiritual warfare described is thus entirely one-sided in terms of spiritual purity and claim; Jesus freely lays down His life (Jn 10:18) rather than being forcibly taken or corrupted by evil.