Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”
Parallel translations
- KJV Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
- BSB Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never 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 have believed.”
- Heb 2:4God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?
- 1 Cor 1:22For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,
- Dan 4:2It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.
- John 12:37But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
- Rom 15:19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;
- Acts 2:22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
- Luke 16:31“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
- Acts 14:3Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
- Matt 24:24For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
- 2 Cor 12:12Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.
- Mark 13:22For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
- Acts 7:36This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
- John 2:18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
- Luke 10:18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
- Num 14:11Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?
- John 4:41–42Many more believed because of his word.
- John 15:24If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now have they seen and also hated both me and my Father.
- Acts 2:43Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
- Acts 4:30while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”
- Matt 27:42“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
- Acts 15:12All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
- 2 Th 2:9even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Acts 6:8Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
- Acts 2:19I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
- Matt 16:1The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Dan 6:27He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
- Acts 5:12By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
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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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