John 17 3

John 17:3 kjv

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3 nkjv

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3 niv

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

John 17:3 esv

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 17:3 nlt

And this is the way to have eternal life ? to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

John 17 verses

John 17 3 Meaning

This verse concisely defines eternal life not merely as an unending existence but as an intimate, saving relationship of knowing God the Father, the singular, genuine deity, and Jesus Christ, whom the Father has specifically commissioned and sent. This knowledge (Greek: ginōskō) signifies a deep, personal, and experiential communion, far beyond mere intellectual understanding or acknowledging facts about God. It is participation in the life of God Himself, a life of fellowship with the Divine.

John 17 3 Context

John 17:3 is nestled within Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer," His final, longest recorded prayer before His crucifixion. Chapter 17 is deeply significant as it encapsulates Jesus' summary of His ministry, His relationship with the Father, and His heart for His disciples and all future believers. He prays for His glorification, for the protection and sanctification of His immediate disciples, and for the unity and ultimate inclusion of all future believers (Jn 17:20-23). This specific verse provides a fundamental definition for the very goal of His entire mission: to enable humanity to attain eternal life, clarifying what that life entails.

Historically, the original audience, particularly Jewish believers, would have deeply revered the concept of the "one true God" (monotheism, Shema: Deut 6:4) and would have been accustomed to the idea of knowing God through covenant and law. However, Jesus' addition—that eternal life also requires knowing "Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent"—would have been both revelatory and challenging. It established an essential, inseparable link between knowing the Father and knowing the Son. For a Hellenistic audience, familiar with various pagan deities and philosophical ideas of knowledge (gnosis), Jesus’ emphasis on a personal, redemptive knowledge of the singular true God, through His unique messenger, was a powerful counter-claim against polytheism and abstract philosophy, asserting that the true way to God is concretely through Him.

John 17 3 Word analysis

• And this is (αὕτη δέ ἐστιν - autē de estin): An emphatic pronouncement. "This, emphatically, is..." It sets up the following phrase as the direct definition of "eternal life." The conjunction "and" (kai) links it to the broader scope of Jesus' mission and prayer, specifically to the authority granted Him to give eternal life (Jn 17:2).
• life eternal (ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ - hē aiōnios zōē):
  • life (ζωὴ - zōē): Refers to biological life but more profoundly, in the NT, denotes the divine, spiritual, qualitative life that belongs to God. It's vitality, active existence, and ultimate blessedness.
  • eternal (αἰώνιος - aiōnios): Often misunderstood as simply "endless duration." While it includes perpetuity, its primary meaning points to a specific quality – that which pertains to the "age to come," the divine age. It is a life derived from God, belonging to His nature, not merely existing forever. This eternal life is thus distinct from merely unending existence in a state of death (like spiritual separation or hell).
• that they might know (ἵνα γινώσκωσιν - hina ginōskōsin):
  • that (ἵνα - hina): Indicates purpose or result. Eternal life has this knowing as its aim or essence.
  • might know (γινώσκωσιν - ginōskōsin): This Greek verb signifies an intimate, experiential, and relational knowledge, like that shared in marriage or close friendship. It's not just intellectual awareness (which would be oida) but knowledge acquired through experience, participation, and a growing relationship. This implies an active, progressive, and transformative process, not a static achievement.
• thee (σὲ - se): Specifically referring to God the Father, to whom Jesus is praying. Highlights the intensely personal nature of this knowing.
• the only true God (τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν - ton monon alēthinon Theon):
  • only (μόνον - monon): Emphasizes singularity. There is no other god who holds ultimate authority or reality. This stands in stark contrast to pagan polytheism and Jewish factions that misunderstood God's nature.
  • true (ἀληθινὸν - alēthinon): Denotes genuine, real, authentic. Not an imitation, counterfeit, or mythical deity. He is the source and standard of truth, as opposed to idols or false conceptions of God.
  • God (Θεὸν - Theon): The ultimate, supreme Being.
• and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν - kai hon apesteilas Iēsoun Christon):
  • and (καὶ - kai): This conjunction is crucial. Knowing the Father is inseparably linked to knowing Jesus. The path to the Father is through the Son.
  • Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν - Iēsoun Christon): Jesus, the proper name, meaning "The Lord saves"; Christ, the title, meaning "Anointed One" or Messiah. Identifies Him as the promised Savior and King.
  • whom thou hast sent (ὃν ἀπέστειλας - hon apesteilas): This phrase is key to John's Gospel. It highlights Jesus' divine origin, authority, and mission. Jesus is not a self-proclaimed teacher or prophet; He is divinely commissioned by the Father for a specific redemptive purpose. His being "sent" legitimizes His claims and central role in revealing the Father.

Words-group analysis:

• "this is life eternal, that they might know": This linkage defines the essence. Eternal life is not a result of knowing but is constituted by this knowing. It means this life is a present reality for believers, a dynamic, active state of relationship, not merely a future reward.
• "thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent": This dual focus underscores a crucial Christological and theological point. While God the Father is "the only true God" (affirming monotheism and His ultimate sourcehood), knowing Him is impossible without also knowing His uniquely "sent" Son. This establishes Jesus' co-essentiality in receiving eternal life. To bypass the Son is to fail to know the Father. It is a foundational Trinitarian seed thought, showing the Father as the singular source, with the Son as the divine, sent agent and revelation of that Father.

John 17 3 Bonus section

The concept of "eternal life" (zōē aiōnios) as a present reality is pervasive in John's Gospel. Believers are often described as having eternal life now (e.g., John 5:24), not just anticipating it. This reinforces the idea that eternal life is a qualitative state of knowing God, which commences at faith, rather than solely a post-mortem destination. The "knowing" in John 17:3 thus signifies a transformed relationship that has already begun and is growing, leading into everlasting fellowship. Furthermore, while the Father is identified as "the only true God," this does not negate the divinity of Jesus, as elsewhere in John, Jesus himself claims divine attributes (John 1:1, 8:58, 10:30, 20:28) and is identified with the Father. Rather, it emphasizes the Father as the ultimate source of deity, from whom the Son eternally proceeds and is sent, making the Father known to humanity. Thus, to know Jesus is to know the Father (John 14:7-9).

John 17 3 Commentary

John 17:3 serves as the bedrock for understanding Christian eternal life. It transcends mere chronological endlessness to unveil a relational reality: a continuous, deepening, and transformative communion with the singular, authentic God the Father and with Jesus Christ, the Messiah divinely sent by the Father. This "knowing" is not abstract intellectual assent but intimate participation, the kind of personal experience that shapes identity and purpose. It signifies a profound spiritual union with God Himself, commenced in this life and extending into the next. The verse establishes the non-negotiable prerequisite for this life—a joint knowledge of both Father and Son—emphasizing that the Father is known through the Son. Therefore, Christian eternal life is less about living forever and more about living God's quality of life now and forever, in fellowship with the Godhead.

• Practical Usage:
  • Just as you truly "know" a close friend through shared experiences and vulnerability, not just facts about them, we are called to daily deepen our experiential knowledge of God.
  • Knowing God in this way isn't static; like a lifelong marriage, it's an ongoing journey of discovery, communion, and mutual growth.
  • When faced with religious or philosophical paths that deny Jesus' essential role, this verse firmly re-directs to the unique, divine sending of Jesus as integral to knowing the "only true God."