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But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him.
John 6:64 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him.
  • KJV But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
  • BSB However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
  • NKJV But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
  • NLT But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)

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 knows that some do not believe, and from the beginning He knew His betrayer. His divine foreknowledge underscores that unbelief does not catch Him by surprise.

Overview

John reveals Jesus's knowledge of every heart, including who would not believe and who would betray Him. This foreknowledge fits the discourse's teaching that faith is a gift of the Father. Even Judas's treachery lay within the scope of God's sovereign plan, which Jesus knowingly embraced toward the cross.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
  • John 10:26But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.
  • Heb 4:13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
  • Ps 139:2–4You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.
  • John 13:10–11Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”
  • John 5:42But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.
  • John 6:61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
  • John 2:24–25But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone,
  • John 6:70–71Jesus answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
  • Rom 8:29For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
  • Acts 15:18All of God’s works are known to him from eternity.’
  • John 6:36But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don’t believe.
  • John 13:18–21I don’t speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’
  • John 6:66At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
  • John 8:55You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.
  • John 8:23He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
  • John 8:38–47I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

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 6:64YouTube · 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 6:64 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.