John 15:27 kjv
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:27 nkjv
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
John 15:27 niv
And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:27 esv
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:27 nlt
And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
John 15 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:8 | But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me... | Spirit empowers believers for global witness |
| Luke 24:48 | And ye are witnesses of these things. | Disciples commissioned as witnesses to resurrection |
| 1 Pet 5:1 | The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also a fellowelder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ... | Peter's eyewitness status of Christ's suffering |
| 2 Pet 1:16 | For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. | Apostles as true eyewitnesses to Jesus' majesty |
| 1 John 1:1-3 | That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life... declare we unto you. | Apostles' sensory witness of Christ's person |
| Acts 4:20 | For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. | Apostles compelled to proclaim their firsthand witness |
| Acts 2:32 | This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. | Apostolic witness to Christ's resurrection |
| John 21:24 | This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. | John's Gospel validated by his direct testimony |
| Deut 19:15 | At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. | Old Testament legal principle of valid testimony |
| Acts 5:32 | And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. | Dual witness: Holy Spirit and apostles |
| John 15:26 | But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth... he shall testify of me: | Holy Spirit's primary and co-equal witness |
| Luke 1:2 | Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; | Emphasizes early, direct eyewitness accounts |
| Mark 3:14 | And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, | Called to be with Jesus first, then sent out |
| Acts 10:39 | And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem... | Disciples' comprehensive witness of Jesus' acts |
| Matt 28:19-20 | Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them... teaching them to observe all things... | Great Commission founded on their apostolic witness |
| Luke 12:8-9 | Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me before men shall be denied... | Bearing witness includes public confession/proclamation |
| Phil 1:7 | Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because ye are partakers of my grace; both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. | Suffering alongside Christ as part of witness |
| 1 Tim 6:12 | Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. | Timothy's public confession, an act of personal witness |
| Rev 1:9 | I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. | John's exile due to faithfully bearing witness |
| Acts 22:15 | For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. | Paul's analogous commission to bear witness |
| Acts 1:21-22 | Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. | Qualification for an apostle as a comprehensive eyewitness |
| John 4:39-42 | And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did... And we have heard him ourselves... | Personal experience validates indirect witness, leading to direct faith |
John 15 verses
John 15 27 Meaning
John 15:27 signifies a distinct commission given by Jesus to His disciples, empowering them to serve as authoritative witnesses to His life and ministry. It asserts that their unique qualification to fulfill this role stems directly from their consistent and intimate companionship with Jesus throughout His entire public ministry. Their testimony, intrinsically linked to and affirmed by the Holy Spirit's own witness (John 15:26), forms the crucial foundation for the revelation of Christ's truth and His salvific work in the world. This witnessing involves not merely relaying facts, but bearing truthful, living testimony, a commitment often entailing personal cost and suffering.
John 15 27 Context
John 15:27 concludes a significant section (John 15:18-27) within Jesus' Farewell Discourse (John 13-17), delivered on the eve of His crucifixion. In this segment, Jesus primarily prepares His disciples for the severe opposition and hatred they will encounter from the world because of their association with Him. This challenging warning sets the stage for the pivotal declaration in verses 26-27, where Jesus introduces a dual witness that will confirm His identity and mission: the Holy Spirit's divine testimony and the disciples' human testimony. Verse 27 explicitly charges the disciples with this latter task. For the original Jewish audience, who were deeply steeped in the Old Testament's legal and ethical traditions, the concept of a witness and the necessity of direct, corroborated testimony to establish truth (e.g., Deut 19:15) would have resonated profoundly. The disciples' unique status as firsthand observers was essential to authenticate the unprecedented claims and nature of Jesus Christ against any future rejections or false accusations.
John 15 27 Word analysis
And (Καὶ - Kai): This conjunction signifies a connection and continuity with the preceding verse (John 15:26), linking the disciples' witness directly to the Holy Spirit's testimony. It underscores that their role is complementary and empowered by the Spirit's indwelling presence and work.
ye also (ὑμεῖς δὲ - hymeis de): "Ye" refers specifically to the chosen disciples present with Jesus at that moment. The emphatic "also" highlights their unique, co-operative function alongside the Holy Spirit, making them distinctive and authoritative initial proclaimers of the Gospel.
shall bear witness (μαρτυρήσετε - martyresēte): This is the future active indicative of martyreō, meaning "to testify, give evidence, be a witness." It carries a strong connotation of legal or public declaration of fact. The underlying Greek root martys (witness) is the origin of our English word "martyr," suggesting that this testimony could lead to great suffering or even death, a theme prevalent in the immediate context (John 15:18-25) and subsequently evident in the early church.
because (ὅτι - hoti): A causal conjunction. It provides the irrefutable reason for the disciples' qualification and mandate to witness, rooting their authority in direct, personal experience. Their testimony is not an arbitrary assignment but springs from their shared history with Christ.
ye have been with me (μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἐστε - met' emou este): This phrase stresses their intimate, enduring companionship and constant physical presence alongside Jesus. It signifies not merely casual observation but an engaged relationship. This direct, experiential knowledge granted them unique credibility to faithfully articulate who Jesus was and what He did.
from the beginning (ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς - ap' archēs): This refers to the outset of Jesus' public ministry, typically understood from His baptism by John or the early stages of calling His first disciples. This emphasizes the comprehensiveness and longevity of their firsthand exposure to Jesus’s teachings, miracles, character, passion, and resurrection. This deep and broad understanding forms the undeniable bedrock for their future proclamation.
Words-group analysis:
- "And ye also shall bear witness": This phrase constitutes a direct command and a profound charge to the disciples. It implies an active, vocal, and public proclamation of the truth about Jesus, not a passive role. The connection to the Holy Spirit's witness (John 15:26) indicates that their human testimony will be validated and supernaturally empowered by divine witness.
- "because ye have been with me from the beginning": This essential clause provides the unique basis for the disciples' apostolic authority and credibility. Their uninterrupted companionship with Jesus across the entirety of His public ministry meant they had comprehensive, personal, and irrefutable knowledge of Him. This first-hand experience makes their testimony indispensable for establishing the historical and theological veracity of the Gospel, setting them apart as the primary conveyors of the foundational message of Christianity.
John 15 27 Bonus section
The concept of "witness" (martys) in the New Testament is often laden with the inherent cost of testifying, foreshadowing the term's later development into "martyrdom." For the apostles, their calling to bear witness to Jesus was not a comfortable academic exercise but a life-defining and often life-ending commitment. This foundational mandate to proclaim truth, which flows from intimate communion with Christ, demanded not only vocal proclamation but also unwavering steadfastness in the face of intense opposition, echoing Jesus' warnings in the preceding verses about the world's hatred. Thus, John 15:27 lays the groundwork for understanding the deep resolve and ultimate sacrifice that defined the lives and ministries of the original disciples, whose testimony continues to resound through history as the basis for the Christian faith.
John 15 27 Commentary
John 15:27 presents the disciples' role as crucial collaborators with the Holy Spirit in declaring the truth about Jesus Christ to a hostile world. While the Spirit provides the divine conviction and inner testimony to Jesus' identity and work, the disciples, by virtue of their unparalleled "eyewitness" status, offer the external, verifiable, and personal testimony of His earthly life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Their qualification, being "with me from the beginning," ensured that their message was not hearsay or conjecture but was built upon intimate, sustained, and direct experience with the Word made flesh. This verse underscores the historical rootedness of the Christian faith, demonstrating that its truths are anchored in events witnessed by specific, designated individuals. This authoritative testimony became the foundation of the apostolic preaching and ultimately the written Gospels, enduring through generations as the primary record of Christ. The costly nature of bearing such a witness, often resulting in persecution or death, demonstrates the ultimate conviction and faithfulness required of those called to declare Christ's truth.