John 6 44

John 6:44 kjv

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:44 nkjv

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:44 niv

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

John 6:44 esv

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:44 nlt

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.

John 6 verses

John 6 44 Meaning

John 6:44 articulates a foundational principle of salvation: no one possesses the inherent spiritual capacity to approach or believe in Jesus Christ without the active and powerful initiative of God the Father. It is the Father, who Himself sent Jesus into the world, who divinely enables an individual to "come" to His Son. This coming implies a genuine, saving faith. The verse concludes with a powerful assurance from Jesus: for all those who are thus drawn by the Father and come to Him, He will guarantee their resurrection to eternal life on the final day. Thus, human belief in Christ is entirely dependent on a prior, enabling work of divine grace.

John 6 44 Context

John 6:44 is a crucial statement within Jesus' "Bread of Life" discourse, delivered in Capernaum after He miraculously fed over five thousand people. The crowds, seeking more physical sustenance, pursued Him, leading Jesus to pivot the conversation towards spiritual nourishment: Himself as the true "Bread of Life" (Jn 6:35). He declared that this bread provides eternal life, in contrast to the perishable manna given in the wilderness. Many of the Jews found this teaching deeply challenging, murmuring amongst themselves (Jn 6:41) about His claims, especially since they knew His human parents. In response to their disbelief and murmuring, Jesus directly confronts their inability to comprehend and accept Him, attributing this spiritual blindness to a lack of divine enablement. This verse, therefore, directly addresses their resistance and places the power of spiritual apprehension squarely in the Father's hand, asserting that belief is not a human capacity but a divine gift, preparing for further difficult teachings about eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

John 6 44 Word analysis

• No one (οὐδεὶς - oudeis): This is a strong and absolute negative, emphasizing that no human being, regardless of their background, efforts, or wisdom, possesses the inherent ability or will to come to Jesus Christ. It completely negates self-generated capacity.
• can come (δύναται ἐλθεῖν - dynatai elthein): "dynatai" signifies the lack of inherent power or capability. "elthein" (to come) means to approach Jesus in a personal and salvific way, to embrace Him through faith, acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior. It's not mere physical proximity, but spiritual allegiance.
• to Me (πρός με - pros me): Specifies that the target of this coming is Jesus Himself, highlighting the personal relationship required for salvation, not merely an intellectual assent to doctrines.
• unless (ἐὰν μή - ean mē): Introduces an indispensable condition. What follows is the only way for anyone to come to Jesus.
• the Father (ὁ πατήρ - ho patēr): Refers to God, the first Person of the Trinity, highlighting His ultimate sovereignty and initiative in the plan of salvation.
• who sent Me (ὁ πέμψας με - ho pempsas me): This phrase constantly reaffirms Jesus' divine mission and authority, grounding His claims in the will of God the Father and underscoring the unity of purpose between them.
• draws him (ἑλκύσῃ αὐτόν - helkysē auton):
  • ἑλκύσῃ (helkysē): From helkō, meaning to drag, draw, or pull. This verb implies a powerful, compelling, and effective action, not merely a gentle invitation or passive persuasion. It is the divine act of overcoming spiritual resistance, blindness, and death in the human heart. While strong, it does not mean coercion against an individual's will; rather, it is a spiritual enablement that leads to a genuine, willing response.
  • αὐτόν (auton): Refers to the "no one," signifying that this divine drawing is specific to the individual God intends to bring to His Son.
• and (καὶ - kai): Connects the Father's drawing directly with Jesus' promise of resurrection, demonstrating the seamless cooperation and unified action of the Father and the Son in the process of salvation.
• I (κἀγὼ - kagō): An emphatic personal pronoun, indicating Jesus' absolute authority and personal guarantee in this ultimate act.
• will raise him up (ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν - anastēsō auton): A definitive promise of bodily resurrection, implying eternal life. It represents the ultimate vindication and glorification of those who come to Him.
• at the last day (ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ - en tē eschatē hēmerā): A specific eschatological term referring to the general resurrection of the dead at the consummation of history, linking personal salvation directly to God's grand plan for final judgment and restoration.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "No one can come to Me": This phrase asserts humanity's inherent spiritual inability to initiate a relationship with Christ on its own. It precludes any idea of self-generated faith or works-based merit for salvation, establishing human helplessness.
• "unless the Father who sent Me draws him": This clause provides the necessary and sole condition for overcoming human inability. It highlights the divine initiative: God the Father actively intervenes, employing a powerful, effective 'drawing' that originates from His sovereign will, enabling individuals to come to Jesus. The emphasis on "who sent Me" reinforces the divine authority behind both the Son's mission and the Father's drawing.
• "and I will raise him up at the last day": This phrase declares the glorious and ultimate consequence for those drawn by the Father and who come to Jesus. It emphasizes Jesus' active role as the giver of eternal life, guaranteed through bodily resurrection on the final day, assuring the complete and future salvation of the believer. It represents the perfect coordination of divine work—Father draws, Son raises.

John 6 44 Bonus section

• Polemic against Self-Reliance: This statement would have been a direct challenge to the prevalent Jewish understanding of their day, where many believed their lineage, observance of the Law, or intellectual reasoning alone was sufficient for their standing with God or their ability to recognize the Messiah. Jesus redirects the source of spiritual sight from human capability to divine intervention.
• The Nature of Helkō (Drawing): The strong Greek verb helkō used here implies more than passive attraction or gentle persuasion; it speaks of a decisive, effective pull. This isn't irresistible force that bypasses or violates human will, but rather a spiritual illumination and awakening that transforms the will, enabling a willing and genuine embrace of Christ where previously there was only resistance or indifference. It signifies God conquering spiritual deadness, not overriding conscious resistance against God's direct revelation to a willing hearer.
• The Triune Context: While the verse explicitly mentions the Father's drawing and the Son's raising, the role of the Holy Spirit in regeneration (Titus 3:5), conviction (Jn 16:8-11), and enabling understanding (1 Cor 2:10-13) is implicitly at work in the Father's divine "drawing." The work of salvation is truly a Trinitarian effort.
• Precedence to Divine Initiative: The order in the verse is crucial: "Father draws" precedes "can come to Me." This sequence underscores that divine grace initiates and enables the human response, rather than human response meriting divine grace. It sets the foundation for understanding election and effectual calling.

John 6 44 Commentary

John 6:44 is a cornerstone verse asserting God's absolute sovereignty in salvation, fundamentally countering any humanistic notions of self-sufficient faith. It unequivocally states that genuine, saving belief in Jesus Christ is not a product of human will or intellectual capacity alone, but is wholly enabled by a preceding, powerful, and gracious work of God the Father. This "drawing" is an internal spiritual operation that awakens the spiritually dead heart to understand and respond to the gospel, making a previously impossible act of coming to Christ both possible and willing. The verse then seamlessly connects this divine initiation to Christ's ultimate act of redemption: a promise of resurrection to eternal life for all those the Father draws. It beautifully illustrates the collaborative and unshakeable plan of the Father and the Son, guaranteeing salvation from inception to glorification, and leaves no room for human boasting in their ability to approach God without His prior divine call.