John 3:32 kjv
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
John 3:32 nkjv
And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
John 3:32 niv
He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
John 3:32 esv
He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.
John 3:32 nlt
He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!
John 3 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 3:11 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know...our testimony..." | Jesus' certain, firsthand knowledge |
| Jn 1:18 | "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side..." | Jesus' unique revelation of the Father |
| Jn 6:46 | "Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God..." | Jesus alone sees and reveals the Father |
| Jn 8:26 | "I speak to the world what I have heard from Him." | Jesus speaks only the Father's words |
| Jn 8:38 | "I speak of what I have seen with My Father..." | Direct witness of divine realities |
| Jn 14:10 | "I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father living in Me..." | His words are the Father's words |
| Jn 17:8 | "For the words that You gave Me I have given to them..." | Jesus' words are divinely transmitted |
| Heb 1:1-2 | "In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." | God's ultimate revelation through Jesus |
| 1 Jn 1:1-3 | "That which was from the beginning...we have heard...seen with our eyes..." | Apostolic testimony based on direct experience |
| Acts 4:20 | "for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." | Witness is compelled by truth experienced |
| Jn 1:11 | "He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him." | Israel's initial rejection of the Messiah |
| Jn 5:40 | "yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life." | Human willfulness in rejecting Jesus |
| Jn 7:48 | "Has any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?" | Leaders' rejection and skepticism |
| Jn 12:37-38 | "Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe...so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 'Lord, who has believed what he heard from us?'" | Fulfillment of prophecy of disbelief |
| Isa 53:1 | "Who has believed what he has heard from us?..." | Prophecy of rejection of God's servant |
| Lk 7:30 | "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God..." | Rejection of divine will |
| Mt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem...how often would I have gathered your children...but you were unwilling!" | Jerusalem's refusal to embrace Christ |
| Rom 10:16 | "But not all have obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed...?'" | Gentile and Jewish rejection of the Gospel |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God..." | Spiritual truths are not understood naturally |
| 2 Tim 4:3-4 | "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching..." | Prophecy of widespread rejection of truth |
| Zech 7:11-12 | "But they refused to pay attention...made their hearts diamond-hard..." | Hardness of heart against divine word |
| Deut 17:6 | "On the evidence of two or three witnesses..." | Principle of reliable testimony affirmed |
John 3 verses
John 3 32 Meaning
John 3:32 conveys the profound truth that Jesus' testimony originates directly from His divine experience of having seen and heard heavenly realities and the Father's will. It underscores His unique authority as the Son who speaks of what He truly knows, in stark contrast to any human witness. However, the verse sorrowfully notes that despite the unparalleled authenticity and authority of His testimony, it faces widespread rejection by humanity.
John 3 32 Context
John 3:32 is part of John the Baptist's final witness concerning Jesus, following the discourse with Nicodemus. After clarifying his subordinate role and joyful identification as the friend of the bridegroom (Jesus, the bridegroom), John refocuses attention entirely on Jesus. This verse contrasts Jesus, the one from heaven who speaks with divine authority (vv. 31, 34), with any earthly witness. Historically, the audience would have been familiar with prophets bearing God's word, but Jesus' unique claim to have 'seen and heard' directly from the Father marked an unprecedented level of authority. The sorrowful note of rejection highlights the prevalent unbelief among those who heard Him, particularly the religious leaders, anticipating the spiritual conflict throughout John's Gospel.
John 3 32 Word analysis
- What He has seen (Greek: ὃ ἑώρακεν - ho heoraken): "Seen" is from horao, implying not just visual perception but experiential knowledge, understanding, and inner conviction. The perfect tense indicates a completed action with lasting results, signifying a past and continuous, intimate relationship with divine realities, preceding His earthly ministry. It implies direct access to the Father's very being and plans.
- and heard (Greek: καὶ ἤκουσεν - kai ēkousen): Complements "seen." It implies not just auditory reception but comprehension and submission to divine utterance. Also in the perfect tense, it underscores Jesus' pre-existent, unbroken communion with God, from whom all His message derives. His knowledge is comprehensive, covering both sight and sound, vision and voice from the divine realm.
- that He testifies about (Greek: τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ - touto marturei): "Testifies" is from martureo, to bear witness. The present tense denotes an ongoing, authoritative, and active declaration. Jesus' witness is not second-hand or theoretical; it flows directly from His perfect and complete knowledge of God and His will. His whole ministry is a testimony.
- and no one (Greek: καὶ οὐδεὶς - kai oudeis): A strong, emphatic negative meaning "not even one." While not absolutely literal (as some did believe, and Nicodemus was inquiring), it highlights the predominant and tragically widespread rejection, particularly among the Jewish authorities and the general public, despite the compelling evidence and divine authority of Jesus' message. It portrays the general human spiritual blindness.
- accepts (Greek: λαμβάνει - lambanei): From lambano, meaning to take, receive, grasp, or welcome. It denotes an active reception, a willingness to embrace and believe. Its negative implies a deliberate refusal, an unwillingness to acknowledge the truth and authority of Jesus' claims, rather than a mere misunderstanding.
- His testimony (Greek: τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ - tēn martyrian autou): Refers to the full witness Jesus gives, encompassing His words, actions, miracles, and ultimately His person. It is distinct because it comes from divine, firsthand experience, rendering it supremely authoritative and unique compared to any human witness. It is God's truth presented through His Son.
- Words-group analysis:
- "What He has seen and heard, that He testifies about": This phrase asserts Jesus' unparalleled authority and the divine origin of His message. He is not merely a prophet receiving revelation; He is the one who has eternally shared in God's counsels and intimately experienced God's nature. This makes His words intrinsically true, dependable, and eternally significant. It's a statement of Jesus' unique Sonship and divine essence, serving as the very basis for His ministry and claims.
- "and no one accepts His testimony": This stark observation highlights the tragic reality of human spiritual blindness and resistance to divine truth. Despite the supreme authenticity of Jesus' witness, it meets widespread rejection. This isn't due to a fault in the testimony but in the hearers' hearts, which are often unwilling to humble themselves, relinquish pre-conceived notions, or forsake their worldly attachments for the kingdom of God. This rejection underscores the fallen nature of humanity and sets the stage for the division and opposition Jesus continually faced.
John 3 32 Bonus section
This verse contains a subtle, sorrowful foreshadowing that permeates the rest of John's Gospel. The widespread "no one accepts" highlights a pervasive spiritual tragedy: the Incarnate Word, directly from the Father, being consistently overlooked or deliberately ignored. It emphasizes the concept of spiritual reception, not just intellectual assent; one must "receive" (take to oneself) His testimony by faith. This tragic rejection makes the subsequent belief of the disciples and future generations of believers all the more profound, showcasing that salvation is ultimately a work of God, overcoming human resistance. The contrast between the perfection of the witness and the brokenness of the human response sets a significant thematic foundation for the journey of faith detailed in the New Testament.
John 3 32 Commentary
John 3:32 stands as a profound summary of Jesus' authority and the human response to it. John the Baptist emphatically declares that Jesus' message is not earthly in origin but flows from direct, intimate, and pre-existent knowledge of God the Father, encompassing both divine sight and hearing. This divine origin makes Jesus' testimony absolute truth and the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. However, a deep spiritual irony pervades the verse: despite this unassailable authority and the self-authenticating nature of Jesus' witness, it is largely rejected by those who hear it. This rejection stems not from lack of clarity or compelling evidence, but from hardened hearts and a general human reluctance to embrace the challenging truth of God, which often calls for repentance and radical life change. The verse serves as a sober warning that genuine divine revelation, though abundantly present in Christ, can be dismissed by humanity.