John 14:6 kjv
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6 nkjv
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6 niv
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 esv
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 nlt
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
John 14 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 43:10-11 | "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen... before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior." | Yahweh's sole claim as God and Savior. |
| John 1:4 | In him was life, and the life was the light of men. | Jesus as the source of life and light. |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | Jesus embodies grace and truth. |
| John 5:26 | For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. | Jesus' inherent life, mirroring the Father. |
| John 8:12 | Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." | Jesus as the sole source of spiritual light. |
| John 10:9 | I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. | Jesus as the only means of salvation/access. |
| John 11:25-26 | Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." | Jesus' power over death, His eternal life. |
| Acts 4:11-12 | This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. | Exclusivity of salvation through Jesus. |
| Rom 5:1-2 | Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand... | Access to God through Christ. |
| Eph 2:18 | For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. | United access to Father through Christ. |
| Col 2:3 | in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. | Christ as the fount of all truth/knowledge. |
| Col 3:4 | When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. | Christ as the essence of our life. |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. | Jesus as the singular mediator. |
| Heb 7:25 | Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. | Jesus' perpetual intercession for access. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh... | New access to God through Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 1:21 | who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. | Faith in God comes through Jesus. |
| 1 John 5:11-12 | And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. | Eternal life solely found in the Son. |
| Rev 22:1-2 | Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit... | Source of life flowing from God and the Lamb. |
| Deut 5:32-33 | You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left... | Following the prescribed "way" of God. |
| Ps 25:4-5 | Make me know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. | God teaches His ways and truth. |
| Prov 6:23 | For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. | The wisdom's path leading to life. |
| Isa 35:8 | And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even fools shall not go astray. | Prophecy of a specific divine way. |
John 14 verses
John 14 6 Meaning
John 14:6 presents Jesus' profound and exclusive claim about His own identity and His sole mediatorial role in humanity's relationship with God the Father. Jesus declares Himself to be the ultimate and only path to divine truth, spiritual vitality, and access to God. He asserts that no individual can come into a saving relationship with the Father except through Him, emphasizing His unique position as the divine Son and the essential bridge between humanity and God. This verse encapsulates the core of Christian theology regarding salvation and the nature of God's revelation.
John 14 6 Context
John 14:6 is part of Jesus' Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17), delivered to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. The disciples are troubled by Jesus' announcement of His departure and Peter's denial. In John 14:1-4, Jesus comforts them, speaking of going to prepare a place for them in His Father's house, promising to return and take them to Himself. Thomas, confused, interjects in verse 5, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus' response in verse 6 directly addresses Thomas's practical question with a profound theological declaration about His own identity, establishing that the "way" to God is not a geographic location or a set of instructions, but a person – Jesus Himself. This assertion contrasts sharply with contemporary Jewish beliefs that access to God was primarily through the Law, temple rituals, or adherence to Rabbinic tradition. Jesus presented Himself as the fulfillment and the embodiment of all these concepts, thereby setting Him apart as the unique means of connection to the Divine.
John 14 6 Word analysis
Jesus: From the Greek Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), meaning "Yahweh saves." It signifies His mission as Savior, revealing His identity as both fully human and fully divine.
said to him: This highlights a direct, personal response to Thomas's specific question, making the subsequent declaration deeply authoritative and foundational.
I AM: Greek Egō Eimi (ἐγὼ εἰμί). This phrase echoes the divine self-designation of God to Moses in Ex 3:14 ("I AM WHO I AM"). In John's Gospel, Jesus frequently uses this phrase without a predicate to assert His divine identity, affirming His pre-existence, eternality, and essential nature as God Himself. This is one of the clearest and strongest claims to deity by Jesus.
the way: Greek hē hodos (ἡ ὁδός). The definite article "the" emphasizes exclusivity. Jesus is not a way, but the sole, unique, and ultimate path to God. It refers to a concrete course of action, a method, but here, it personifies the path as Jesus Himself. It implies direction, access, and progression towards the Father.
the truth: Greek hē alētheia (ἡ ἀλήθεια). Again, the definite article "the" points to ultimate and singular truth. Jesus embodies all reality, integrity, and divine revelation. He is not merely a messenger of truth, but truth incarnate, meaning that all genuine knowledge of God and His purposes are found solely in Him. This contrasts with partial human philosophies or shifting cultural understandings.
the life: Greek hē zōē (ἡ ζωή). This signifies not merely physical existence but divine, eternal, spiritual life. Jesus is the very source and sustainer of life itself (John 1:4; 1 Jn 5:11-12). To have Jesus is to have true, abundant, and eternal life in relationship with God. This life is transformative and goes beyond mortality.
No one: Greek oudeis (οὐδείς). This is an absolute negation, leaving no room for alternative routes. It underscores the exclusivity of the path through Christ.
comes to the Father: Greek pros ton patera (πρός τὸν πατέρα). "Comes to" implies a relationship of fellowship, intimacy, and reconciliation. "The Father" refers to God the ultimate source of all being, whom humanity is alienated from due to sin, but to whom access is now made possible.
except through me: Greek ei mē di' emou (εἰ μὴ δι’ ἐμοῦ). This clause reconfirms and reinforces the absolute exclusivity. "Through me" emphasizes Jesus' role as the indispensable mediator, the sole agent by which reconciliation and fellowship with God are achieved.
"I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life": This three-fold declaration functions as a powerful summary of Jesus' nature and salvific role. Each title is intrinsically linked: Jesus is the "Way" because He embodies the "Truth" about God and humanity, and knowing this truth leads to "Life." There is no truth without Him, no life apart from Him, and no access to the Father but by Him. The definitive "the" before each noun asserts His unique and singular status.
John 14 6 Bonus section
The emphatic repetition of the definite article "the" before Way, Truth, and Life in Greek (ἡ ὁδός, ἡ ἀλήθεια, ἡ ζωή) is not merely stylistic but underlines the singularity and definitive nature of each attribute as personified in Jesus. It signifies that Jesus does not point to the way, truth, or life, but rather He is them. This stands in stark contrast to contemporary philosophical schools (e.g., Hellenistic syncretism, various mystery religions) which offered multiple paths or understandings. Jesus’ claim is unique in its directness and absolute nature, presenting a challenge to pluralistic perspectives both then and now. It is a loving claim, offering a clear and certain hope, not a limitation for the sincere seeker but a destination for those seeking God.
John 14 6 Commentary
John 14:6 stands as one of the most central and challenging declarations made by Jesus. It reveals not just a way to God, but the way, asserting an uncompromising exclusivity that has profound theological implications. Jesus is not presenting himself as one of many paths, a choice among options, or a prophet sharing some truth. Instead, He identifies Himself as the very embodiment of the path, the reality of truth, and the source of eternal life.
His use of "I AM" (Egō Eimi) links directly to the divine name of Yahweh, declaring His pre-existence and inherent deity, thus affirming that He is fully God and worthy of such a radical claim. As "the Way," Jesus provides the sole means of reconciliation and communion with God. This means He clears the obstacles of sin, mediates forgiveness, and grants access to a holy God who would otherwise be unapproachable. As "the Truth," He embodies all divine revelation, cutting through all human philosophies, falsehoods, and partial understandings of God. He is the ultimate reality against which all other claims of truth must be measured. As "the Life," Jesus provides spiritual vitality and eternal existence. Sin brings spiritual death, but through Him, new life in God is found, both now and for eternity.
The culminating statement, "No one comes to the Father except through me," is absolute. It means that there is no other mediator, no alternative path, no other savior for humanity's estrangement from God. This statement is not narrow-minded but profound, born of the truth of who God is and what humanity needs. It calls for absolute trust in Jesus alone as the unique and divinely appointed means of salvation. To reject this Way, Truth, and Life is to remain alienated from God. The verse therefore beckards humanity to enter into relationship with God, not through ritual, philosophy, or human effort, but solely by faith in Jesus Christ.
Examples of practical usage:
- When faced with spiritual searching, this verse guides individuals to look to Jesus as the definitive answer for purpose and destiny.
- In times of doubt about God's existence or character, this verse affirms Jesus as the ultimate revelation of the Father's love and truth.
- It serves as a foundation for missions and evangelism, grounding the belief that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the sole message of hope for the world.