Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”
- KJV Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
- NKJV Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
- NASB Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”
- NLT Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”
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 rebuked the tendency to believe only when seeing signs and wonders. He calls for faith that trusts his word, not merely spectacle.
Overview
Jesus addresses the crowd's craving for miraculous proof as a substitute for genuine trust. His words challenge a shallow, sign-dependent faith. Throughout John, Jesus desires people to believe his word itself, which is exactly the faith the official is about to display.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- John 20:29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
- Heb 2:4and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
- 1 Cor 1:22Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
- Dan 4:2I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
- John 12:37Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him.
- Rom 15:19by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
- Acts 2:22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
- Luke 16:31Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
- Acts 14:3So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
- Matt 24:24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- 2 Cor 12:12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
- Mark 13:22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Acts 7:36He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
- John 2:18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
- Luke 10:18So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
- Num 14:11And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?
- John 4:41–42And many more believed because of His message.
- John 15:24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
- Acts 2:43A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
- Acts 4:30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
- Matt 27:42“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
- Acts 15:12The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
- 2 Th 2:9The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- Acts 6:8Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
- Acts 2:19I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
- Matt 16:1Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Dan 6:27He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
- Acts 5:12The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
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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 4:48 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
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