John 12:18
What does John 12:18 mean?
A plain-English look at John 12:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 12:18 means
The sign of Lazarus’s raising has become the magnet drawing people to Jesus. News of such a sign spreads quickly and compels many to come and see for themselves. This verse helps explain the scale and fervor of the welcome in Jerusalem. It also illustrates John’s theme that signs are pointers: they are not ends in themselves but lead people to the Sign-giver. Some will come with curiosity, others with faith, but the cause is the same—the report of what Jesus has done. The movement toward Jesus is gaining breadth and intensity as the feast begins.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done this sign.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done this sign.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And that was the reason the people went out to him, because it had come to their ears that he had done this sign.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862because of this also did the multitude meet him, because they heard of his having done this sign,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For which reason also the people came to meet him, because they heard that he had done this miracle.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Therefore also the crowd met him because they had heard that he had done this sign.
Context
Having described the testimony of eyewitnesses, John identifies its effect: more people go out to meet Jesus. This immediate cause-and-effect sets up the Pharisees’ complaint in the next verse about their inability to stop His rise in popularity. Their remark that the world is going after Him serves as an ironic bridge to the approach of Greeks in the following verses, signaling the widening scope of Jesus’ mission.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 12:11
because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
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