Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

JOHN 6:47KJV
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John 6:47 (KJV)

What does John 6:47 mean?

John 6:47 records Jesus saying that anyone who believes in him has everlasting life. This is a direct promise that faith in Jesus brings a lasting, unending kind of life, not just in the future but as a present reality for the believer.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to a crowd that includes both his followers and skeptics, after feeding the five thousand. He emphasizes the importance of believing in him personally, not just following religious rules or seeking miracles. The statement is meant to be clear and certain, stressing that the key to eternal life is trust in him.

The Greek behind John 6:47

  • "Verily, verily" (ἀμὴν ἀμὴν, amēn amēn): This phrase means "truly, truly" and is used by Jesus to highlight the absolute truth and importance of what he is about to say. It signals that the following statement is especially trustworthy.
  • "Believeth" (πιστεύων, pisteuōn): This Greek word means more than just intellectual agreement; it carries the sense of trusting, relying on, or placing confidence in someone. Here, it points to an active, ongoing trust in Jesus himself.
  • "Everlasting" (αἰώνιος, aiōnios): This word describes something that is not just endless in duration but also of a different, divine quality. In this context, it means a life that is both unending and deeply connected to God.
  • "Life" (ζωή, zōē): The Greek term used here refers to a full, spiritual kind of life, not just physical existence. It is often used in John’s Gospel to describe the life that comes from God.

Why John 6:47 matters

  • John 6:47 makes it clear that eternal life is not earned by works or rituals but is given through believing in Jesus, which can clear up confusion about how one receives this life.
  • The verse highlights Jesus’ authority to make such a promise, underlining his unique role as the giver of life in John's Gospel.
  • This statement connects to the broader theme in John 6, where Jesus describes himself as the "bread of life," showing that faith in him is the true source of spiritual nourishment and lasting life.

Where else these words appear

“everlasting” Greek G166 · used in 69 verses

  • Matthew 18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
  • John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
  • 1 Timothy 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

“me” Greek G1691 · used in 77 verses

  • Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
  • John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
  • John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

“Verily” Greek G281 · used in 126 verses

  • Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
  • Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
  • Romans 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

“life” Greek G2222 · used in 126 verses

  • Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
  • John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
  • Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.