John 4:48 kjv
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
John 4:48 nkjv
Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."
John 4:48 niv
"Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
John 4:48 esv
So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
John 4:48 nlt
Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?"
John 4 48 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 4:48 | "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." | Jesus speaking to the official in Cana |
| Matthew 12:38-39 | "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign..." | Pharisees demand a sign |
| Matthew 16:4 | "He left them and departed again. On the other side they had forgotten to take bread." | Jesus rebukes disciples for lack of faith |
| Mark 8:12 | "And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, 'Why does this generation seek for a sign?'" | Jesus responds to demand for signs by Pharisees |
| Mark 11:23 | "For truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,'..." | Faith can move mountains |
| Luke 11:16 | "But others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven." | People testing Jesus |
| Luke 17:20 | "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God..." | Jesus on the coming of the kingdom |
| John 2:18 | "So the Jews said to him, 'What sign have you to show us for doing these things?'" | Jews question Jesus' authority in the temple |
| John 6:30 | "So they said to him, 'What sign do you perform, that we may see and believe you?'" | Crowd asks for a sign at the feeding of 5000 |
| John 7:3-5 | "So his brothers said to him, 'Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works..." | His brothers doubt and urge him to perform public acts |
| Acts 4:22 | "For the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was performed." | The lame man healed by Peter and John |
| Acts 8:6 | "And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip..." | Philip's ministry in Samaria |
| Acts 13:11-12 | "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." | Paul strikes Elymas blind |
| Acts 14:3 | "So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who gave testimony to the word of his grace..." | God granting signs and wonders through apostles |
| Acts 19:11 | "And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul..." | Miracles through Paul |
| 1 Corinthians 1:22 | "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom..." | Contrast between Jewish and Gentile expectations |
| Hebrews 2:4 | "while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit..." | Divine confirmation of the apostles' message |
| Genesis 1:3 | "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." | God speaks and it happens |
| Exodus 4:8 | "If they will not believe you or listen to the first sign, they will believe the second sign." | God giving Moses signs |
| Numbers 14:11 | "And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe me..." | Israel's disbelief in the wilderness |
| Deuteronomy 18:22 | "when the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is the word..." | Signs confirming true prophets |
| Psalm 78:43 | "how he performed his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan." | God's signs in Egypt |
| Isaiah 7:11 | "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be as deep as Sheol or as high as the sky." | God inviting Ahaz to ask for a sign |
John 4 verses
John 4 48 Meaning
Jesus addresses a need for tangible evidence beyond mere words for belief to take root. He highlights the inherent human desire for signs and wonders to confirm divine authority, especially when faced with unfamiliar claims or teachings. The verse underscores the necessity of experiencing God's power to overcome doubt and fully embrace spiritual truth.
John 4 48 Context
This verse is spoken by Jesus to a royal official from Capernaum whose son is gravely ill. The official has heard about Jesus and comes to find him. He appeals to Jesus to come and heal his son. Jesus initially states, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." The official responds by pleading, "Sir, come down before my son dies." Jesus then says to him, "Go; your son will live." The official believed Jesus' word and departed. As he was on his way, his servants met him and told him his son was alive and well. The official then asked them when his son's fever had left, and they replied, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." The father understood that it was at that very moment Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." This event solidifies the faith of the official and his household. The broader context of John's Gospel emphasizes belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and points to his miracles as signs revealing his divine nature.
John 4 48 Word Analysis
- Unless (Ἐὰν μὴ - ean mē): This is a conditional particle introducing a negative condition. It signifies that belief will not occur without the fulfillment of the condition that follows.
- you (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): Plural "you," referring to the royal official and possibly others present or representatives of those who would require such evidence.
- see (ἴδητε - idēte): Second person plural, aorist subjunctive of ὁράω (horaō), meaning "to see" or "to perceive." It implies a visual or experiential observation.
- signs (σημεῖα - sēmeia): Plural of σημεῖον (sēmeion), meaning "sign," "mark," "wonder," or "miracle." In John's Gospel, signs often point beyond themselves to the identity and glory of Jesus.
- and (καὶ - kai): Conjunction.
- wonders (τέρατα - terata): Plural of τέρας (teras), meaning "wonder," "marvel," or "portent." It denotes an extraordinary or unusual event that causes astonishment, often associated with divine intervention.
- you (οὐ μὴ - ou mē): This is a strong double negative construction emphasizing the absolute certainty that belief will not occur without the specified conditions being met. It's a very emphatic statement of impossibility.
- will believe (πιστεύσητε - pisteusēte): Second person plural, aorist subjunctive of πιστεύω (pisteuō), meaning "to believe," "to trust," or "to have faith." It's an act of intellectual assent coupled with commitment.
Word-Group Analysis
- "Unless you see signs and wonders" (Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδητε σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα - Ean mē idēte sēmeia kai terata): This phrase captures a common human inclination, particularly prevalent in the religious climate of 1st-century Judea, to demand visible demonstrations of divine power as a prerequisite for belief. It reflects a skepticism that needs empirical confirmation. This reflects a polemic against those who sought supernatural credentials rather than accepting Jesus based on his word or inherent nature.
- "you will not believe" (οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε - ou mē pisteusēte): The strong double negative here ("ou mē" with the aorist subjunctive) is crucial. It conveys a profound declaration that, in the absence of miraculous signs, belief will simply not materialize for this specific kind of person or context. It highlights Jesus' awareness of the pervasive demand for evidence.
John 4 48 Bonus Section
This interaction with the royal official is significant because it occurs away from the central Jewish religious activity, demonstrating Jesus' ministry extending beyond Jerusalem. The phrase "unless you see signs and wonders" could be interpreted as a subtle, perhaps even gently chiding, recognition of the cultural expectation in Jewish society that God would continue to manifest His power visibly, as He did during the Exodus and other key periods. It speaks to a common human weakness to look for external validation rather than internal transformation or a response to divine truth presented in scripture and in Jesus' person. The effectiveness of Jesus’ word itself, which bypasses the need for his physical presence at the scene of the miracle, highlights that his authority transcends space and time. His power is inherent, not contingent on being a spectator to the event.
John 4 48 Commentary
Jesus' statement here is not a denial of the importance of faith, but rather an observation about the human condition and the specific mindset of those he is addressing. Many sought miracles as proof of spiritual authority, a characteristic often associated with the religious leaders and the populace of that era who were waiting for a sign-giving Messiah. It points to a difficulty in trusting the spoken word without accompanying physical manifestation. This can be seen as a gentle challenge to such dependency, implying that true faith should also respond to Jesus' authoritative declaration of truth and his inherent power, even without an immediate visible display for them to witness at that precise moment. The subsequent healing of the official's son serves as the sign he desired, validating Jesus' word and cementing his belief.
Practical Application:
- Patience in faith: We are sometimes tempted to doubt when we don't see immediate results from our prayers or efforts. This verse, and its context, show that faith is often in the unseen word, even before the visible sign appears.
- Understanding others: Recognize that different people have different thresholds for belief, often requiring evidence based on their background and experiences.
- Focus on Christ's Word: While signs are validating, our primary anchor should be Jesus' authoritative teaching and promises.