John 5:33 kjv
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
John 5:33 nkjv
You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
John 5:33 niv
"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
John 5:33 esv
You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
John 5:33 nlt
In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.
John 5 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 1:7 | "...John came for testimony, to bear witness about the light..." | John 1:7 (Purpose of John's ministry) |
| John 1:15 | "John bore witness about him..." | John 1:15 (John's testimony) |
| John 3:28 | "You yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ...' " | John 3:28 (John's self-assessment) |
| John 5:31 | "If I bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true." | John 5:31 (Jesus' standard of truth) |
| John 5:36 | "But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John..." | John 5:36 (Greater testimony) |
| John 5:37 | "And he who sent me has himself borne witness about me." | John 5:37 (God the Father's witness) |
| John 15:26 | "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father..." | John 15:26 (Holy Spirit's witness) |
| Acts 10:43 | "To him all the prophets bear witness..." | Acts 10:43 (Prophetic witness) |
| 1 John 5:6 | "...Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is light." | 1 John 5:6 (Spirit's testimony) |
| 1 John 5:9 | "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater..." | 1 John 5:9 (Divine testimony) |
| Luke 3:2 | "...the word of God came to John..." | Luke 3:2 (Divine commission) |
| Isaiah 42:1 | "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights..." | Isaiah 42:1 (Messianic prophecy) |
| Matthew 3:17 | "And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'" | Matthew 3:17 (Father's affirmation) |
| Hebrews 12:1 | "...let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely..." | Hebrews 12:1 (Running the race) |
| Genesis 1:3 | "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." | Genesis 1:3 (God as Light) |
| Psalm 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." | Psalm 119:105 (Word as Light) |
| John 8:12 | "Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world.'" | John 8:12 (Jesus as Light) |
| John 12:46 | "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." | John 12:46 (Purpose of His coming) |
| Revelation 19:10 | "...the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." | Revelation 19:10 (Testimony's nature) |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..." | Acts 1:8 (Empowerment for witness) |
| Acts 4:33 | "And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus..." | Acts 4:33 (Apostolic witness) |
John 5 verses
John 5 33 Meaning
This verse affirms the reliability of John the Baptist's testimony regarding Jesus, stating that his witness was not based on mere human assertion but on divine illumination. The emphasis is on the purpose of John's testimony: to lead people to salvation through belief in Jesus.
John 5 33 Context
John the Baptist had already testified about Jesus earlier in the chapter (John 5:33). This verse serves to further bolster the credibility of John's witness, especially in light of the accusations being made against Jesus and His ministry. The surrounding context involves Jesus defending His actions and authority to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus highlights the authority He received from the Father, the testimony of Scripture, the witness of John the Baptist, and ultimately, His own divine works as proof of His identity. The audience likely consists of Jewish religious leaders and crowds who are questioning Jesus' claims.
John 5 33 Word analysis
- you (ὑμεῖς - humeis): Plural pronoun. Refers to the crowd or religious authorities to whom Jesus is speaking.
- have borne (μαρτυρήσατε - martyresate): Aorist indicative active verb from μαρτυρέω (martyreo), meaning "to bear witness," "to testify," "to give evidence." It implies a completed action.
- witness (μαρτυρίαν - marturian): Accusative noun from μαρτυρία (martyria), meaning "testimony," "witness," "evidence."
- of (ἐκ - ek): Preposition, here indicating the source or origin of the testimony – from John.
- John (Ἰωάννου - Ioannou): Genitive case of Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), John the Baptist.
- to (ἵνα - hina): Subordinating conjunction, indicating purpose.
- you (ὑμεῖς - humeis): Plural pronoun, again referring to the audience.
- might (ἵνα - hina): As above, used for purpose. This second instance reinforces the intended outcome of John's testimony.
- believe (πιστεύσητε - pisteusate): Aorist subjunctive active verb from πιστεύω (pisteuo), meaning "to believe," "to trust," "to have faith." The subjunctive mood is used after ἵνα (hina) to express purpose.
- that (ὅπως - hopos): Conjunction, also expressing purpose. In some manuscripts, ἵνα is used here as well. Its function is to introduce the ultimate goal.
- you (οὗτος - houtos): Demonstrative pronoun, referring to Jesus. It means "this one."
- might (οὗτος - houtos): This is not a verb in the original Greek for "might" in this part of the phrase. The Greek structure is "that you might believe in this one." The intended outcome is belief in Him.
- might believe in this one (ἵνα πιστεύσητε εἰς τοῦτον - hina pisteusate eis touton): "so that you may believe in this one." The preposition εἰς (eis) signifies entering into a relationship of trust and reliance.
Group of words analysis:
- "you have borne witness of John" (ὑμεῖς ἐμαρτυρήσατε ἐκ τοῦ Ἰωάννου - humeis emartyresate ek tou Ioannou): This phrasing is a slight inversion. More accurately, the statement is that John bore witness, and the audience is aware of this fact and can testify to it. Jesus is reminding them of John's known testimony.
- "that you might believe in this one" (ἵνα πιστεύσητε εἰς τοῦτον - hina pisteusate eis touton): This phrase clearly articulates the purpose behind John's divinely appointed mission. It wasn't for his own fame, but to direct people's faith towards Jesus.
John 5 33 Bonus section
John the Baptist's testimony is presented by Jesus as a critical piece of evidence in His defense. This aligns with legal principles of the time where two or three witnesses could establish a case (Deuteronomy 19:15). Jesus Himself offers multiple forms of testimony: His Father, the Scriptures, His miracles, and John the Baptist. The fact that John bore witness “of the light” is crucial. John’s role was to herald the true light (Jesus), whose arrival marked a definitive spiritual illumination for humanity. This testimony, therefore, carried immense weight and was meant to effect genuine belief.
John 5 33 Commentary
Jesus refers to John the Baptist's testimony to validate His own claims. John, a well-respected prophet, had testified that Jesus was the Son of God and the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Jesus states that the purpose of John's testimony was to guide people to believe in Him. This underscores that true faith is rooted in the testimony of God-appointed witnesses, not just human assertion. John's ministry was divinely ordained to point to Christ, aligning with the prophetic tradition. This also serves as an indirect argument against those who reject Jesus; they are not merely rejecting Jesus but also the witness of a righteous prophet validated by God. The emphasis is on bringing people to faith in Jesus, the ultimate object of belief.