But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
Parallel translations
- WEB I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
- BSB but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”
- NKJV But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
- NASB I do know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
- NLT But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.”
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 declares that He knows the Father because He is from Him and was sent by Him. He claims an intimate, unique relationship with God as the sent Son.
Overview
In contrast to the people's ignorance of God, Jesus affirms His perfect knowledge of the Father, grounded in His origin from Him. This statement asserts His divine sonship and mission, central themes in John's Gospel. Only the Son truly knows the Father, and through Him alone can others come to know God (John 1:18; 14:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 8:55Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
- Matt 11:27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
- 1 Jn 4:9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
- John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- John 3:16–17For 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 17:18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
- John 17:25–26O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
- John 6:46Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
- 1 Jn 1:2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
- John 10:15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
- John 16:27–28For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
- 1 Jn 4:14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
- John 13:3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
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 7:29 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.