John 5:40 kjv
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
John 5:40 nkjv
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
John 5:40 niv
yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
John 5:40 esv
yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
John 5:40 nlt
Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
John 5 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world... | God's love and salvation |
| John 6:40 | And this is the will of him who sent me... | Father's will |
| John 6:44 | No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. | Divine drawing |
| John 7:37 | Let anyone who is thirsty come to me... | Invitation to come |
| John 14:6 | I am the way and the truth and the life. | Jesus as the way to life |
| Matthew 11:28 | Come to me, all you who are weary... | Jesus' invitation |
| Acts 4:12 | Salvation is found in no one else... | Jesus' unique salvation |
| Romans 10:9 | If you confess with your mouth... | Confession leads to life |
| 1 John 5:11 | And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life... | Life in God's Son |
| Proverbs 2:4-5 | ...seek her as for silver and search for her as for hidden treasures. | Seeking wisdom and life |
| Jeremiah 2:13 | My people have committed two sins... | Forsaking the true source of living water |
| Ezekiel 18:32 | For I do not delight in the death of anyone... | God's desire for repentance |
| Luke 13:3 | No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish. | Need for repentance |
| John 5:39 | You diligently study the Scriptures... | Scriptures point to Jesus |
| John 5:44 | How can you believe if you accept glory from one another... | Seeking human approval |
| John 8:24 | ...if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins. | Consequences of disbelief |
| John 8:47 | Whoever is of God hears the words of God... | Hearing God's word |
| John 10:10 | I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly. | Jesus' purpose for abundant life |
| John 11:25 | Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life." | Jesus as the source of life |
| 1 Timothy 6:13 | ...God, who gives life to all things, and to Christ Jesus... | God as giver of life |
John 5 verses
John 5 40 Meaning
You are unwilling to come to Me for life.
John 5 40 Context
This verse is spoken by Jesus in John chapter 5, following His healing of a man at the pool of Bethesda. The preceding verses describe Jesus’ interaction with the religious authorities who are challenging His authority to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus defends His actions by stating He is doing the will of His Father and that the Father gives Him His authority. He then testifies about His relationship with the Father and His divine mission. The accusation implied in verse 40 is that the Jewish leaders are rejecting His testimony and the evidence of His works, thereby rejecting the very source of life He offers. Their focus is on the Law and tradition, not on the divine life available through the Messiah.
John 5 40 Word Analysis
"But": Introduces a contrast to what precedes, highlighting a problem.
"you": Refers specifically to the Jewish religious leaders Jesus is speaking to.
"are unwilling": Indicates a refusal stemming from a willful choice, not an inability.
"to come": Suggests movement towards someone or something; here, it is towards Jesus.
"to Me": Identifies Jesus as the object of this coming.
"for life": States the purpose of coming to Jesus – to receive life, specifically eternal life.
"you do not have life": A direct statement of their spiritual condition due to their refusal.
"coming to me": Emphasizes that the choice to receive life rests with the individual's approach to Jesus.
"for life": The life being offered is spiritual and eternal, not mere physical existence.
John 5 40 Bonus Section
The concept of "coming" to Jesus signifies a conscious decision to believe, to trust, and to follow Him, embracing His identity and authority. This refusal of life, despite their theological knowledge, points to a deep-seated resistance to accepting divine revelation that challenged their established traditions and status. Their pursuit of "life" was self-serving and rooted in legalistic observance, rather than a genuine seeking of God's presence and power through the promised Messiah.
John 5 40 Commentary
Jesus confronts the religious leaders with their internal contradiction: they claim to seek life through the Scriptures but refuse to approach Him, the very source of life revealed in those Scriptures. Their unwillingness stems not from ignorance but from a chosen rejection, likely due to their pride, desire for human approval, and misunderstanding of His Messiahship. The life Jesus offers is supernatural, spiritual, and eternally abiding, available only to those who willingly receive Him.