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Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour.
John 12:27 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.
  • KJV Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
  • NKJV “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
  • NASB “Now My soul has become troubled; and what am I to say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
  • NLT “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!

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

Jesus' soul is troubled, yet he embraces the very hour for which he came. He faces the cross with resolve.

Overview

Jesus voices genuine anguish at the approaching cross, recalling Gethsemane in the other Gospels. Though he asks whether to pray for deliverance, he affirms that this is his appointed purpose. The verse reveals both his true humanity in dread and his steadfast obedience to the Father's saving plan.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • John 12:23But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
  • Heb 5:7During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
  • Isa 38:15What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
  • Matt 26:42A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
  • Mark 14:33–36He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be deeply troubled and distressed.
  • Matt 26:38–39Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
  • John 13:21After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
  • Ps 88:3For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.
  • Heb 2:14Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
  • Luke 22:44And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
  • Isa 53:3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
  • Ps 69:1–3For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
  • Luke 22:53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”
  • Heb 10:5–9Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.
  • Matt 26:53–54Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
  • John 18:37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”
  • Luke 12:49–50I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
  • 1 Tim 1:15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
  • John 11:33–35When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
  • Matt 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
  • John 11:41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 12:27YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 12:27 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.