Devine Scripture

John 12:23

What does John 12:23 mean?

A plain-English look at John 12:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 12:23 means

Jesus interprets the Greeks’ approach as a signal: the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. In John, “hour” points to His death and resurrection. “Glorified” means that His true worth will be revealed precisely through the cross. The title “Son of man” evokes His messianic identity and His representative role. The nations are beginning to come; the way they will be gathered is through His sacrificial death. This is not an hour to be avoided but embraced, because it will display God’s glory and accomplish salvation for a harvest wider than Israel alone.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Jesus said to them in answer, The hour of the glory of the Son of man has come.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And Jesus responded to them, saying, `The hour hath come that the Son of Man may be glorified;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But Jesus answered them, saying: The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But Jesus answered them saying, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.

Context

In response to the disciples bringing the Greeks’ request, Jesus announces a decisive turning point. He immediately explains the nature of this glory with an agricultural image in the next verse. From here, He will teach the paradox of life through death, call His servants to follow Him on that path, and reveal His troubled soul alongside His unwavering commitment to the Father’s purpose. A heavenly voice will soon confirm the aim of glorifying God’s name.

v.22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.

v.23This passage

v.24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 53:10

    Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

  • Isaiah 55:5

    Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

  • Isaiah 49:5

    And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength);

  • Isaiah 60:9

    Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • John 17:9

    I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:

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