John 4:51 kjv
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
John 4:51 nkjv
And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!"
John 4:51 niv
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
John 4:51 esv
As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
John 4:51 nlt
While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.
John 4 51 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 37:35 | All his sons and all his daughters rose... to comfort him... | Grief turned to news of life. |
| 1 Kin 17:23 | Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber... he gave him to his mother... | Prophet's word restores life. |
| Ps 107:20 | He sent out his word and healed them... | God's word as agent of healing. |
| Isa 55:11 | ...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty... | God's word achieves its purpose. |
| Matt 8:8-10 | The centurion answered... "only say the word, and my servant will be healed." | Faith in Jesus' distant word. |
| Matt 8:13 | And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." | Healing at a distance confirmed. |
| Matt 9:22 | Jesus turned... and said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." | Faith preceding physical healing. |
| Mark 5:35-36 | While he was still speaking... some came from the ruler's house... | News of healing/death delivered mid-journey. |
| Mark 5:42 | Immediately the girl got up and began to walk... they were utterly astounded. | Immediate and complete healing. |
| Luke 7:7 | "But say the word, and let my servant be healed." | Centurion's request for distant healing. |
| Luke 8:49 | While he was still speaking... "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore." | Messenger brings critical news. |
| Luke 8:55 | And her spirit returned, and she got up at once... | Immediate restoration of life. |
| John 2:11 | This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee... | Cana as a site for Jesus' signs. |
| John 4:47 | When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee... begged him to come down and heal his son... | The father's initial plea. |
| John 4:50 | Jesus said to him, "Go; your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. | Jesus' command and the man's belief. |
| John 5:21 | For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. | Jesus' authority over life. |
| John 11:25-26 | Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life." | Jesus as the source of life. |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | Faith through hearing the word. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active... | The power and efficacy of God's word. |
| Heb 11:1 | Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. | Faith's essence – believing unseen. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him... | Necessity of faith for divine favor. |
John 4 verses
John 4 51 Meaning
John 4:51 describes the crucial moment when the royal official, on his journey back to Capernaum from Cana, is met by his servants bearing the news of his son's complete recovery. This encounter directly confirms Jesus' powerful and authoritative word, "Go; your son lives," given earlier in Cana, demonstrating that the healing occurred exactly as promised and when spoken, validating the official's nascent faith.
John 4 51 Context
John chapter 4 primarily focuses on Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman, showcasing His universal message of salvation beyond Jewish boundaries. However, as the chapter concludes, it shifts to Jesus' return to Galilee, specifically Cana, where he is approached by a royal official whose son is gravely ill, dying in Capernaum, some 20 miles (32 km) away. The official's urgent plea, "Sir, come down before my child dies," reveals a desperate yet conditional faith. Jesus' response, "Go; your son lives," tested this faith by requiring the man to believe His word without physical presence or immediate visual confirmation. This verse, John 4:51, serves as the triumphant vindication of that belief. Historically, the journey from Cana to Capernaum would have taken several hours, implying the nobleman's belief endured this significant period of waiting and travel before any tangible evidence presented itself. The story is presented as a "second sign" performed by Jesus in Cana (John 4:54), highlighting His continued work of divine power and the nature of true faith.
John 4 51 Word analysis
- And as he was now going down (καταβαίνων, katabainōn): This signifies the nobleman's active journey from Cana (on higher ground) towards Capernaum (by the Sea of Galilee, thus "down"). It emphasizes his obedience and immediate departure upon Jesus' command. His return journey underscores his faith; he left without physical proof, trusting solely in Jesus' spoken word.
- his servants (οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ, hoi douloi autou): These household employees act as vital messengers. Their proactive meeting of their master on the road indicates their urgency and their awareness of the critical situation. Their role highlights the verifiable nature of the miracle; multiple witnesses attest to the son's condition and sudden recovery.
- met him (ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ, hypēntēsan autō): The Greek term implies a deliberate meeting, rather than a chance encounter. The servants likely set out specifically to find their master and convey the momentous news as quickly as possible, perhaps anticipating his return or concerned about his extended absence given his son's condition.
- and told him, saying, (καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ, λέγοντες, kai apēngeilan autō, legontes): This phrase emphasizes the direct and immediate delivery of the good news. The urgency of their mission is clear in their haste to inform him.
- 'Your son lives.' (Ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ, Ho huios sou zē): The climax of the verse and the father's hope. The Greek word zē is in the present tense, underscoring the absolute and present reality of the son's complete and instantaneous recovery. It signifies a full restoration to life, not merely a slight improvement. It is a direct and precise confirmation of Jesus' word in verse 50.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "as he was now going down, his servants met him": This specific timing is critical. It shows the nobleman's faithful obedience to Jesus' command ("Go") and journeying home without the Lord's physical presence. The servants' intercepting him perfectly aligns with his belief-journey, bringing validation even before he could see his son. This synchronicity points to divine orchestration.
- "told him, saying, 'Your son lives.'": The message is the direct verification of Jesus' promise. It confirms the efficacy of Christ's word spoken at a distance, revealing His sovereignty over illness, time, and space. This immediate report eradicates the nobleman's anxiety and converts his initial belief into joyful conviction.
John 4 51 Bonus section
This incident is highlighted as Jesus' "second sign" performed in Cana (Jn 4:54), deliberately drawing a parallel to the wedding at Cana (Jn 2:11). Both signs demonstrated Jesus' power to transform and restore life (water to wine, death to life), marking crucial early stages of His ministry and serving as direct attestation to His identity as the Son of God. The story also vividly illustrates a transition from faith requiring "signs and wonders" to a more mature faith rooted purely in Christ's word. The nobleman initially pressed Jesus to "come down" to perform a physical act, but eventually, his faith became reliant solely on Jesus' verbal command. This sign showcases Jesus' authority over space and time, demonstrating that His word is active and powerful regardless of distance.
John 4 51 Commentary
John 4:51 marks the powerful culmination of a father's faith and Jesus' divine authority. The nobleman, having taken Jesus at His word ("Go; your son lives"), begins the journey home, demonstrating trust in the unseen. His immediate obedience is met by divine confirmation en route; his servants deliver the joyous news of his son's full recovery. This moment perfectly synchronizes Jesus' spoken word in Cana with its tangible effect in Capernaum, proving the boundless power of Christ beyond physical proximity. The son "lives," an emphatic declaration validating Jesus as the Giver of life, challenging any notions of limited power. This event solidified the nobleman's faith, transforming a plea for a physical healing into profound belief in the Lord of life.