No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Parallel translations
- WEB No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.
- KJV No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
- BSB “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
- NKJV No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
- NASB No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
- NLT For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him, and He will raise that person up at the last day. This verse teaches that saving faith depends on God's gracious initiative.
Overview
Jesus declares the inability of sinners to come to Him by their own power; the Father must draw them. This drawing is effective, for all who are drawn are promised resurrection. The verse is a cornerstone of the Reformed understanding of grace, yet it also extends the sure hope of being raised to all whom the Father brings to the Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- John 6:65He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
- Matt 11:25–27At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- John 6:39–40This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.
- Eph 2:4–10But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
- Matt 16:17Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
- John 12:32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
- John 6:45It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
- Titus 3:3–5For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
- Jer 31:3Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.
- John 5:44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Hos 11:4I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.
- John 3:3–7Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
- Col 2:12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
- John 12:37–40But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
- Rom 8:7–8because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
- Phil 1:29Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,
- John 8:43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
- Song 1:4Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! They are right to love you.
- Isa 44:18–20They don’t know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand.
- Jer 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
- Matt 12:34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 6:44 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.
How traditions read this
Is saving grace effectual (Calvinism) or resistible (Arminianism)?
Conversion is wholly God''s work — we cannot come by our own reason or strength — yet God sincerely wills all to be saved, and the lost resist. Lutherans refuse to teach election to damnation.
Key points · Monergism in salvation; universal saving will; no double predestination.
Formula of Concord, Art. II, XI
God''s grace goes before everyone, enabling a real response (prevenient grace) — but it can be resisted. The drawing is genuine and universal, not irresistible.
Key points · "I will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32); grace resistible; conditional response.
Jacobus Arminius; John Wesley · The Remonstrance
"No one can come unless the Father draws him" — and all whom the Father draws do come (6:37). Saving grace is effectual: God renews the will so the sinner freely and surely chooses Christ.
Key points · The drawing of 6:44 is effective; "all that the Father gives me will come" (6:37); monergism.
Augustine; Calvin · Canons of Dort
Through "middle knowledge" God knows what each person would freely do in any circumstance, and orders the world to accomplish his purposes without overriding free will.
Key points · God''s knowledge of counterfactual free choices; sovereignty and freedom held together.
Luis de Molina; William Lane Craig
Each view is stated as that tradition would put it, with representative sources. Limitless Word presents them side by side and endorses none — see the methodology.