John 5:24
What does John 5:24 mean?
A plain-English look at John 5:24 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 5:24 means
Jesus promises, “He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life… and hath passed out of death into life.” Eternal life is present possession for the believer, not only future hope. Hearing and believing are the means—receiving Jesus’ word as the Father’s message. Such a person does not come into judgment in the condemning sense, because the decisive crossing has occurred. This is the gospel in miniature: faith unites the sinner to the Son, who shares the Father’s life. The transition from death to life is as real as the healed man’s rise, only deeper and spiritual. Assurance rests on Christ’s authority to give life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Truly I say to you, The man whose ears are open to my word and who has faith in him who sent me, has eternal life; he will not be judged, but has come from death into life.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Verily, verily, I say to you--He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Amen, amen, I say unto you that he who heareth my word and believeth him that sent me hath life everlasting: and cometh not into judgment, but is passed from death to life.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that hears my word, and believes him that has sent me, has life eternal, and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life.
Context
After declaring the Son’s purpose to be honored as the Father (verse 23), Jesus offers personal application: those who hear and believe already have eternal life and escape condemnation. This ties the high claims of verses 21–23 to the experience of the hearer and reframes the Sabbath controversy as a question of life and judgment. Verse 25 then expands the thought, speaking of an “hour” that now is when the dead hear the Son’s voice. Verses 26–27 ground this in the Son’s possession of life in Himself and His authority to judge. The progression moves from present spiritual life to future universal resurrection (verses 28–29).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 8:33
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth;
- 1 John 5:11
And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life.
- Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Peter 1:5
who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
- 1 Peter 1:21
who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
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