Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
- BSB Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
- NASB “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
- NLT “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
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
Whoever hears Jesus' word and believes the Father has eternal life and has passed from death to life. Faith in Christ brings present, secure salvation.
Overview
This is one of the clearest gospel promises in John: hearing Christ's word and believing the Father brings eternal life now and escape from condemnation. The believer has already crossed from death into life. Salvation is a present possession grounded in faith, not merely a future hope.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- John 3:36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
- John 6:40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
- 1 Jn 5:11–13And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- John 3:18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- Rom 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
- John 6:47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
- John 11:26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
- John 10:27–30My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- John 20:31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
- 1 Th 5:9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
- John 8:51Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
- Rom 10:11–13For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
- 1 Jn 5:1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
- Mark 16:16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
- Rom 8:16–17The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
- 2 Th 2:13–14But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
- John 12:44Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
- Rom 8:33–34Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
- 1 Pet 1:21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
- 1 Pet 1:5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
- Rom 8:28–30And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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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 5:24 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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