John 1:48
What does John 1:48 mean?
A plain-English look at John 1:48 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 1:48 means
Nathanael, astonished by Jesus' accurate assessment of his inner character, immediately questions, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus' response is even more astounding: "Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." This reveals Jesus' supernatural knowledge of Nathanael's private moments and thoughts, a clear sign of divine omniscience that transcends normal human perception and significantly challenges Nathanael’s initial skepticism, moving him towards faith.
John 1:48 in context
John 1 — The Word Made Flesh
John lifts the curtain higher than any other Gospel. Before there was a Bethlehem, there was the Word — with God, who was God, by whom all things were made. The same Word who was the agent of creation became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. John the Baptist points him out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; the first disciples follow him; Nathanael confesses him as the Son of God and King of Israel. The eternal becomes near enough to touch.
- Pre-existence of Christ
- Incarnation
- Light and life
- First disciples
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Nathanael said to him, Where did you get knowledge of me? In answer Jesus said, Before Philip was talking with you, while you were still under the fig-tree, I saw you.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Nathanael saith to him, `Whence me dost thou know?' Jesus answered and said to him, `Before Philip's calling thee--thou being under the fig-tree--I saw thee.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Nathanael says to him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
Context
After Jesus’ penetrating insight into Nathanael’s character in verse 47, this verse details Nathanael's bewildered reaction and Jesus’ further revelation. Jesus’ specific statement about seeing Nathanael under a fig tree is a direct display of His supernatural knowledge, which goes beyond mere character assessment. This irrefutable evidence directly addresses Nathanael's earlier skepticism and leads to his immediate and profound confession of Jesus' divine identity in the very next verse.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Revelation 2:18
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:
- Genesis 32:24
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
- John 2:25
and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
- Psalms 139:1
O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and knownme.
- Isaiah 65:24
And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
- 1 Corinthians 14:25
the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
Sermon ideas from John 1:48
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What John 1:48 teaches us about pre-existence of christ
What John 1:48 teaches us about incarnation
What John 1:48 teaches us about light and life
What John 1:48 teaches us about first disciples
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