That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Parallel translations
- WEB The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
- BSB The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.
- NKJV That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
- NASB This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.
- NLT The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The true light, Jesus, was entering the world to give light to everyone. He is the genuine source of spiritual illumination for all humanity.
Overview
Jesus is called the 'true' light — the real and ultimate one to which all lesser lights point. His coming into the world brings light that confronts and offers understanding to every person, regardless of nation. Faithful Christians read this as Christ being the light available to all and the only Savior, though they discuss precisely how His enlightening reaches each person.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 12:46I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
- John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
- 1 Jn 2:8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
- Isa 49:6And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
- 1 Th 5:4–7But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
- John 1:7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
- 1 Jn 5:20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- John 6:32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
- John 14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Isa 8:20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
- 1 Jn 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Matt 6:23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
- John 15:1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
- John 7:12And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Pastoral
Henry on the prologue — rich on the Word and the incarnation.
Seminary
- ★ Start hereCommentaryThe Gospel According to John (Pillar NT Commentary)D. A. Carson · ~720 pp · Paid · reformed
The go-to mid-level exegetical commentary on John — rigorous and readable.
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 1:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.