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And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
John 5:27 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.
  • BSB And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
  • NKJV and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
  • NASB and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
  • NLT And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.

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 Father gave the Son authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. The incarnate Christ judges humanity.

Overview

Jesus links his judging authority to his being the Son of Man, echoing Daniel's vision of one to whom dominion and judgment are given. As the God-man, he is uniquely fit to judge the human race. This unites his divine authority with his true humanity in the work of final judgment.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Acts 10:42And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
  • John 5:22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
  • Acts 17:31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
  • Dan 7:13–14I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
  • 1 Cor 15:25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
  • 1 Pet 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
  • Ps 110:6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
  • Heb 2:7–9Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
  • Eph 1:20–23Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
  • Phil 2:7–11But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
  • Ps 110:1–2The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
  • Ps 2:6–9Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

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 5:27YouTube · 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 5:27 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.