John 14:6
What does John 14:6 mean?
A plain-English look at John 14:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 14:6 means
Jesus answers Thomas with a threefold self-claim: He is the way, the truth, and the life. He does not merely show a path; He Himself is the path to God. As truth, He is God’s faithful self-revelation—reliable, final. As life, He is the source and giver of life that conquers death. The exclusive line—no one comes to the Father except through Him—rules out all other mediators. This is not cold exclusion but gracious clarity; God has opened one sure door. Jesus centers salvation, revelation, and eternal life in His person, calling for trust in Him as the sole access to the Father’s presence.
John 14:6 in context
John 14 — I Am the Way
On the night before his crucifixion Jesus comforts his disciples. He is going to prepare a place for them; he is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by him. He promises another Comforter — the Holy Spirit — who will dwell in them and bring his words to remembrance. The peace he gives is not as the world gives. Even with the cross hours away, he turns from his own sorrow to steady theirs.
- Heaven
- Exclusivity of Christ
- Holy Spirit promised
- Christ's peace
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Jesus said to him, I am the true and living way: no one comes to the Father but by me.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Jesus saith to him, `I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father unless by me.
Context
This is the climax of the exchange sparked by Thomas’s confusion. The verse anchors the chapter’s comfort in Christ’s uniqueness: the promises of place, presence, answered prayer, and the Spirit depend on union with Him. The next verses connect this exclusivity to the Father-Son relationship. If Jesus alone brings people to the Father, it is because He so fully reveals and shares in the Father’s being and works. Philip’s request to see the Father will press this point further, leading Jesus to explain the mutual indwelling of Father and Son.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 5:25
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.
- 2 John 1:9
Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.
- John 10:28
and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
- 1 Peter 2:4
unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,
- 1 Peter 3:18
Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
- John 6:57
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.
Sermon ideas from John 14:6
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What John 14:6 teaches us about heaven
What John 14:6 teaches us about exclusivity of christ
What John 14:6 teaches us about holy spirit promised
What John 14:6 teaches us about christ's peace
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