John 5:40 (KJV)

What does John 5:40 mean?

John 5:40 records Jesus telling his listeners that they are unwilling to come to him to receive life. Jesus speaks to people who give careful attention to the Scriptures, yet he points to their refusal to come to the one those writings speak about.

The words “come to me” picture turning toward Jesus as a person, not just studying words on a page. After saying that the Scriptures speak about him in verse 39, Jesus puts the contrast directly to his listeners.

The Greek behind John 5:40

• “will” — θέλω (thelō): This word can mean to want or be willing. With “not,” it emphasizes the listeners’ unwillingness, rather than merely describing something they have not yet done.

• “life” — ζωή (zōē): This word means life. In the surrounding passage, Jesus speaks of life that comes through him and reaches beyond death, giving the word a fuller sense than ordinary daily existence (John 5:24–26).

Why John 5:40 matters

• Jesus distinguishes knowing the Scriptures from coming to him. In verses 39–40, the writings speak about him, but his listeners still refuse to come.

• Jesus presents life as something connected with himself. The phrase “come to me, that ye might have life” makes him the person to whom his listeners are being directed.

• The verse is part of Jesus’ answer to people challenging him. Earlier, his healing of a man on the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest, had led to a dispute about his actions and his relationship with God (John 5:16–18).