John 2 – The Free Grace Translation (FGT)

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John 2:1

Greek Textus Receptus

Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανᾷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ·

Free Grace Translation

And on the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

John 2:2

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον.

Free Grace Translation

Now Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.

 

John 2:3

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου, λέγει ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν, Οἶνον οὐκ ἔχουσι.

Free Grace Translation

And after running out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."

Free Grace Study Notes

Commenting on this verse, D. L. Moody said: "It is good to run short that we may be driven to Christ with our necessity." (Moody, Notes From My Bible, p. 135.)

John 2:4

Greek Textus Receptus

λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus said to her, "Woman, what [is that] to Me and to you? My hour is not yet come."

Free Grace Study Notes

D. L. Moody explains: "Mine 'hour'—always 'of death.' Jn. 7:30. 8:20. 12:23. 12:27. 13:1. 17:1." (Moody Notes From My Bible, p. 134.) 

John 2:5

Greek Textus Receptus

λέγει ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ τοῖς διακόνοις, Ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν, ποιήσατε.

Free Grace Translation  

His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do [it]."

John 2:6

Greek Textus Receptus

ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ ὑδρίαι λίθιναι ἓξ κείμεναι κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς.

Free Grace Translation

Now there were six stone vessels for holding water setting there, according to the ritual cleansing of the Jews, having space for two or three measures apiece [nearly nine gallons each].

John 2:7

Greek Textus Receptus

λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Γεμίσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγέμισαν αὐτὰς ἕως ἄνω.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus said to them, "Fill the vessels with water." And they filled them up to the top.

John 2:8

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἀντλήσατε νῦν, καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ. καὶ ἤνεγκαν.

Free Grace Translation

And He said to them, "Now draw [some] out, and bring [it] to the master of the banquet." And they brought [it to him].

John 2:9

Greek Textus Receptus

ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστίν οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος,

Free Grace Translation

But when the master of the banquet tasted the water that had become wine, and he did not know where it was from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the banquet called the bridegroom,

John 2:10

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησι, καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσι, τότε τὸν ἐλάσσω· σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι.

Free Grace Translation

and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and whenever they might become drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"

John 2:11

Greek Textus Receptus

ταύτην ἐποίησε τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανᾷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσε τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus did this, the first of the miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him.

John 2:12

Greek Textus Receptus

Μετὰ τοῦτο κατέβη εἰς Καπερναούμ, αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔμειναν οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας.

Free Grace Translation

After this He went down into Capernaum, He and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples, and they remained there not many days.

John 2:13

Greek Textus Receptus

Καὶ ἐγγὺς ἦν τὸ πάσχα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ὁ Ἰησοῦς.

Free Grace Translation

And the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 2:14

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ εὗρεν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοὺς πωλοῦντας βόας καὶ πρόβατα καὶ περιστεράς, καὶ τοὺς κερματιστὰς καθημένους

Free Grace Translation

And He found in the temple courtyard those selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting [at tables].

John 2:15

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ποιήσας φραγέλλιον ἐκ σχοινίων πάντας ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, τά τε πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας· καὶ τῶν κολλυβιστῶν ἐξέχεε τὸ κέρμα, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας ἀνέστρεψε·

Free Grace Translation

And after making a whip from ropes, He drove [them] all out of the temple precincts, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money-changers, and overturned the tables.

John 2:16

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ τοῖς τὰς περιστερὰς πωλοῦσιν εἶπεν, Ἄρατε ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν· μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου.

Free Grace Translation

And to those selling the doves He said, "Take these away from here! Don't make the house of My Father a house of merchandise."

John 2:17

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐμνήσθησαν δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι γεγραμμένον ἐστίν, Ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφάγέ με.

Free Grace Translation

And His disciples remembered that it is written, "Zeal for your house consumed me."

Bible Translation Notes

This is a reference to Psalm 69:9. In the Textus Receptus the verb katephage (in Jn. 2:17) is in the aorist tense: "consumed". In the Critical Text it is future tense: "will consume". Of course, the point is the same either way; the only difference being a question of viewpoint: either from the viewpoint of unfulfilled prophecy ("will consume"), or fulfilled prophecy ("consumed"). It has been said that only God can write prophecy in the past tense, and there are other examples of it in the Bible (e.g. Isaiah 53:5).

John 2:18

Greek Textus Receptus

ἀπεκρίθησαν οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Τί σημεῖον δεικνύεις ἡμῖν, ὅτι ταῦτα ποιεῖς;

Free Grace Translation

Then the Jews replied and said to Him, "What sign do you show to us, since you are doing these things?"

John 2:19

Greek Textus Receptus

ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

John 2:20

Greek Textus Receptus

εἶπον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, Τεσσαράκοντα καὶ ἕξ ἔτεσιν ᾠκοδομήθη ὁ ναὸς οὗτος, καὶ σὺ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερεῖς αὐτόν;

Free Grace Translation

Then the Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will rebuild it in three days?"

John 2:21

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἔλεγε περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

But He was speaking about the temple of His body.

John 2:22

Greek Textus Receptus

ὅτε οὖν ἠγέρθη ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐμνήσθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τοῦτο ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἐπίστευσαν τῇ γραφῇ, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ ᾧ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς.

Free Grace Translation

When therefore He was raised from [the] dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus spoke.

Free Grace Study Notes

The reference to "the Scripture" is specifically to the Old Testament (cf. John 20:9; also see Luke 24:26-27; 1 Cor. 15:4).

John 2:23

Greek Textus Receptus

Ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν τῷ πάσχα, ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει.

Free Grace Translation

And while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding of Him the miraculous signs that He was doing.

Free Grace Study Notes  

In light of John 1:12, the phrase "believed in His name" (Jn. 2:23) should be understood as saving faith: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to be called children of God, even to those who believe in His name." Commenting on John 2:23, Luther affirms that "this faith is as yet a milk-faith." God's desire is that it should grow into something more trustworthy (cf. 1 Pet. 2:2). See John 4:45, Bible Translation Notes.

John 2:24

Greek Textus Receptus

αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐπίστευεν ἑαυτὸν αὐτοῖς, διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας,

Free Grace Translation

But Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them [to be made an earthly king before the appointed time], because He knew all men,

Free Grace Study Notes 

Also see John 6:14-15; 18:36.

John 2:25

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ὅτι οὐ χρείαν εἶχεν ἵνα τις μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐγίνωσκε τί ἦν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ.

Free Grace Translation

and because He had no need that anyone should testify concerning man, for He knew what was in man.

The Adventures of Arthur Croft: The Giza Guardian

Episode 6: The Giza Guardian

 

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The howling khamsin wind whipped across the Giza plateau, carrying with it a wall of blinding, yellow sand that stung like needles. Arthur Croft adjusted the loose folds of the white linen turban wrapped tightly around his head and face. Only his eyes were visible through the narrow slit of the cloth, shielded from both the stinging grit and the oppressive, blinding glare of the Egyptian sun. Looking at his reflection in the polished brass of his compass, he knew he passed for just another nomad navigating the desert expanse.

Beside him, riding high on a massive, grunting dromedary camel, was Mustafa. A local guide with a deep, rumbling laugh and eyes that had tracked the shifting sands of the Nile for forty years, Mustafa tapped his camel's flank, pulling closer to Arthur.

"The wind speaks of ancient secrets today, my friend," Mustafa called out over the roar of the gale, pointing through the haze.

Through the swirling dust, the colossal silhouette of the Great Pyramid of Khufu materialized like a mountain carved by giants. But Arthur wasn’t looking for the tourist routes. His hand instinctively reached inside his robes, feeling the outline of the map fragment he had rescued from Damascus. It pointed to a forgotten sector of the plateau, buried deep beneath the sand, far from the watchful eyes of the antiquities guards—and Dr. Finch's network.

"The Tomb of the Hellenized Scribe," Arthur muttered through his cloth wrap. "Are you sure this is the ridge, Mustafa?"

"If the letters of the Damascus elders speak true, it lies beneath the shadow of the western plateau," Mustafa replied, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon. "But we must hurry. Look behind us."

Arthur turned on his saddle. A mile back, cutting through the sandstorm, the harsh beams of high-powered headlights cut through the dust. Three black, rugged off-road vehicles were closing the distance. The Institute's compliance teams had tracked his flight from Syria. Marcus Vane was hot on their trail.

"Yallah! Move!" Mustafa shouted, urging his camel into a swift, bobbing gallop.

Arthur held tight to the reins, guiding his camel down a steep, treacherous ridge of shifting sand. They veered into a narrow, rocky ravine where the wind suddenly died down, choked out by towering walls of ancient limestone. Mustafa halted his beast near a collapsed rockface and slid down. Arthur followed, his boots sinking into the hot sand.

"Here," Mustafa hissed, sweeping away a loose drift of sand with his robes to reveal a heavy, rectangular stone slab inscribed with both Egyptian hieroglyphs and faded Greek characters.

Arthur's heart hammered against his ribs. He knelt, tracing the Greek script. "Hermogenes of Alexandria—Servant of the Word." 

 

"This is it," Arthur breathed. "The Hellenized Scribe."

With Vane's engines roaring dangerously close at the top of the ridge, Arthur and Mustafa jammed a steel crowbar into the seam of the slab. Straining with every ounce of strength, they pried it upward. A dark, narrow chute sloped downward into the earth.

"Camels, hide!" Mustafa yelled, slapping the beasts to send them fleeing into the canyon to throw off the trackers. Without looking back, Arthur and Mustafa dropped into the darkness, pulling the stone slab back into place just as a heavy spray of gravel announced the arrival of the Institute's vehicles above.

They slid down a smooth limestone ramp, landing heavily on a floor covered in centuries of undisturbed dust. Arthur pulled down his turban, gasping for the cool, stagnant air of the tomb, and clicked on his flashlight.

The beam illuminated a breathtaking sight. Unlike the traditional pharaonic tombs filled with pagan deities, the walls of this chamber were covered in beautiful, early Christian frescoes: anchors, fish, and vines. In the center of the room sat a simple stone sarcophagus.

"Look," Mustafa whispered, pointing to the base of the sarcophagus. Resting there was a beautifully preserved, sealed clay amphora, wrapped in decayed papyrus bindings.

Arthur knelt beside it, his hands trembling with a mixture of reverence and awe. He carefully broke the ancient wax seal and reached inside. His fingers closed around a heavy, remarkably preserved papyrus scroll. He unrolled it gently under the beam of his flashlight. It was written in a beautiful, uncial Greek script, untouched by the legalistic corruptions of later centuries.

His eyes scanned the columns, recognizing the text immediately. It was the Gospel of John, chapter 3. He traced his finger down to verse 16, then skipped forward to verse 36.

ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν υἱόν, ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον·

Arthur felt tears prick his eyes. "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life," he translated aloud. "Not 'he who works,' not 'he who undergoes rituals.' The verb is present tense. The moment a person trusts Christ, they possess eternal life as an irreversible gift."

"A beautiful truth, Mr. Croft. A pity it ends here," a cold, mocking voice echoed through the chamber.

Arthur spun around. Marcus Vane stood at the entrance of the tomb passage, a tactical flashlight illuminating his sneering face, a silenced pistol aimed directly at Arthur’s chest. Behind him stood two heavily armed henchmen.

"Dr. Finch will be thrilled," Vane said, stepping forward. "He's already drafted the commentary utilizing our ... modified versions of these texts. Hand over the scroll."

Arthur looked at Mustafa, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod toward the wall behind Vane. Arthur knew that early Coptic believers never built a tomb with only one exit—especially during the 1st-century Roman persecutions.

"You think this text belongs locked away in the Institute's archives, Vane?" Arthur said, keeping his voice steady, anchoring his soul in the very truth he had just read. "This isn't just history. It's life. And it's free."

"Truth is what the Institute dictates," Vane barked. "Now, give it to me!"

"If you want the message of grace, Vane, you'll have to receive it!" Arthur shouted.

With a burst of adrenaline, Arthur grabbed a heavy pottery jar filled with ancient, dried resin and hurled it directly at Vane's feet. Simultaneously, Mustafa pulled a loose, protruding brick from the wall—the ancient tomb's defensive counterweight.

The ceiling groaned. A massive, hidden stone portcullis crashed down between Arthur and Vane's team. Vane fired a frantic shot, but the bullet ricocheted harmlessly off the descending granite wall. The heavy block slammed into the floor with a deafening thud, completely sealing Vane and his men on the other side.

"The air shaft! This way!" Mustafa yelled, pointing to a small opening behind the sarcophagus where a draft of fresh air was blowing in.

Arthur stuffed the precious 1st-century manuscript safely into his waterproof rucksack. He looked back at the tomb of the scribe one last time, a profound sense of gratitude washing over him. The ancient Coptic believers had hidden this treasure well, preserving the message of grace through the centuries so that no legalistic force could ever distort or destroy it.

Clutching the rucksack tight, Arthur climbed into the light, ready for whatever lay across the desert horizon.

 

*  *  *

Study Insight:
In Episode 6, Arthur discovers a 1st-century Coptic-hidden Greek manuscript of the Gospel of John. The text highlights a crucial theological paradigm of the Free Grace perspective: the present-tense reality of eternal life. In John 3:36, the Greek word echei (ἔχει) is in the present tense, meaning "has" or "possesses right now."

The legalistic error often inserted into this text claims that eternal life is a future reward contingent upon a lifetime of faithful perseverance or good works. However, the grammar of the New Testament consistently reveals that eternal life is a present possession obtained completely at the moment of faith alone in Christ alone (cf. John 5:24, 6:47). For an in-depth grammatical analysis of the present assurance of salvation in the Johannine literature, see the book by Dr. Charlie Bing titled Grace, Salvation, and Discipleship. 

 

THE ENCORE FEATURE 

As a special thank you for reading through Episode 6, see the whole high-stakes escape from the Giza Plateau unfold panel by panel in this complete, full-length comic spread!

 

John 1 – The Free Grace Translation (FGT)

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John 1:1

Greek Textus Receptus

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 

Free Grace Translation

In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Free Grace Study Notes

"'In the beginning was the Word.'  The Word is the expression of the thought, the revelation of the mind, of God. Christ is that Word. In Him God has revealed Himself. When everything that ever had beginning began, He, the Word, was. He had no beginning. He was one with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity. This clause sets forth His eternal existence. 'The Word was with God.' This declares the distinct personality of the Word. 'The Word was God.' It is His full deity that is insisted on. He was in no sense inferior to the other persons of the Godhead." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 9. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:2

Greek Textus Receptus

οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.

Free Grace Translation

He was in [the] beginning with God.

Bible Translation Notes

Grk. οὗτος. The near demonstrative pronoun. Here it is nominative, masculine, singular. Literally, This (One). Or, He.

Free Grace Study Notes

"There was no change in His relationship. He remains the same forever." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 9. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

John 1:3

Greek Textus Receptus

πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν ὃ γέγονεν.

Free Grace Translation

All [things] came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one [thing] came into being that has come into being.

 

John 1:4

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων,

Free Grace Translation

In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind,

Free Grace Study Notes

"He is the source of all communicated life, because He, with the Father, has underived life in Himself (5:26). This life, seen in all its perfection in Him while He was here on earth, is in itself 'the light of men.' In Christ men are given a revelation of all they need to know in order to illumine their hearts and minds and guide them through this dark world." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 9. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:5

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.

Free Grace Translation

and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Free Grace Study Notes

"So blinded have men become by the love of sinning, that their minds are in an impenetrable fog, which even the light that shines from the face of Christ cannot pierce, so long as they persistently refuse to heed the words of God." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 9. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:6

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης

Free Grace Translation

[There] came a man sent from God, [whose] name [was] John.

Bible Translation Notes

The Greek more literally reads: "[There] came [a] man, having been sent from God, [the] name [given] to him [was] John."

Free Grace Study Notes 

"The ministry of John the Baptist was preparatory. He was sent to call men to repentance in order that they might face the light and learn to know Him who came as a light into the world (12:46)." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:7

Greek Textus Receptus

οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσι δι’ αὐτοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

Bible Translation Notes  

See the commentary on this verse in Henry Alford's The Greek Testament. Cf. The Expositor's Greek Testament.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"What a commentary on man's utterly lost condition and his sin-blinded heart, that anyone should be required to bear witness of light!" .—H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:8

Greek Textus Receptus

οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ’ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός.

Free Grace Translation

He was not the Light, but [he came] so that he might testify about the Light.

Free Grace Study Notes

"There is an immeasurable distance between the greatest of Christ’s servants and He who is both Saviour and Lord." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:9

Greek Textus Receptus

ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον.

Free Grace Translation

The true Light, which enlightens every person, was coming into the world.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"That is, the perfect life of Jesus casts light on all other men — showing up their sins and failures in contrast to His holiness and perfection. It is not that, as some have supposed, there is a spark of the divine in every man, a gleam which, if obeyed, will result in final salvation. Men are lost in the darkness. The light shines upon them, exposes their sins, illumines the darkness about them and reveals the Saviour God has provided.".—H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible. 

Note that all men are graciously drawn by God (cf. Gen. 6:3; Jn. 12:32, 16:8-11; Acts 7:51). He desires to save the whole world, including the "non-elect" (see 1 Tim. 2:4, 4:10; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Jn. 2:2). 

John 1:10

Greek Textus Receptus

ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω.

Free Grace Translation

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and yet the world did not know Him.

Free Grace Study Notes

"When He, who had brought all things into existence, came into His own world, He was unrecognized and walked through this scene as a heavenly Stranger." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:11

Greek Textus Receptus

εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.

Free Grace Translation

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Bible Translation Notes

Henry Alford writes: "τὰ ἴδια here cannot well mean the world, or οἱ ἴδιοι mankind in general: it would be difficult to point out any Scripture usage to justify such a meaning. But abundance of passages bear out the meaning which makes τὰ ἴδια His own inheritance or possession, i.e. Judæa; and οἱ ἴδιοι, the Jews: compare especially the parable Matthew 21:33 ff., and Sir 24:7 ff. And thus ἦλθεν ['He came'] forms a nearer step in the approach to the declaration in John 1:14. He came to His own." (Henry Alford, The Greek Testament [London: 1849], Vol. I, p. 484, commentary on John 1:11.)

Free Grace Study Notes 

"The first 'his own' is in the neuter. He came unto His own things, that is, His own world, His own land, His own Temple. The second is personal; His own people, Israel, received Him not. They who were supposed to be waiting for Him did not know Him when He came, and they refused to own His authority." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:12

Greek Textus Receptus

ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ·

Free Grace Translation

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His name,

Free Grace Study Notes

"'As many as received him.'  A few there were who opened their hearts to receive Him. To these He gave the right or title to be called children of God. It is not exactly sons, but children, those born into the family. All who 'believe on his name' are born from above, and so made members of the household of faith." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

John 1:13

Greek Textus Receptus

οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός, ἀλλ’ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.

Free Grace Translation

who were born not from physical descent, nor from sexual desire, nor from [the] will of a man, but from God.

Bible Translation Notes

Grk. "who were not born of blood(s)." See Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1st ed.), s.v. αἷμα, 1.a. "of human blood. . . . Esp. as a principal component of the human body . . . Pl. τὰ αἵματα . . . descent . . . = owe one's [human] descent to the physical nature J 1:13." (Walter Bauer, William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, Editors, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature [Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957], p. 22, ellipsis added.) 

Commenting on John 1:13 in his Word Pictures in the New Testament, A. T. Robertson writes: "Which were born (ὁ ἐγεννηθησαν). First aorist passive indicative of γενναω, to beget, 'who were begotten.' By spiritual generation (of God, ἐκ θεου), not by physical (ἐξ αἱμάτων, plural as common in classics and O.T., though why it is not clear unless blood of both father and mother; ἐκ θεληματος σαρκος, from sexual desire; ἐκ θεληματος ἀνδρός, from the will of the male)." (Robertson, Word Pictures, Vol. V, p. 12. Note: In the original edition of Robertson's Word Pictures, the Greek letters are transliterated into English.)

Henry Alford similarly affirms: "Euthymius seems to give the right interpretation: εἰπὼν δὲ ὅτι οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, ἐπήγαγε φανερώτερον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός· εἶτα καὶ τοῦτο τελεώτερον ἐφηρμήνευσε, προσθεὶς ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός· αἷμα γὰρ καὶ σάρξ, ὁ ἀνήρ· θέλημα δὲ νῦν νοεῖ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, τὴν συνουσίαν: in loc. ii. 421." Translated into English it reads: "But when he said that it was not of blood, he made it more evident that it was not of the will of the flesh; he also explained this further, adding that it was not of the will of a man; for the man is blood and flesh; but 'will' now [i.e. here in this context] means desire, intercourse." (Alford, The Greek Testament [Cambridge: 1874], Vol. I, p. 685.)

Everett F. Harrison observes: "born . . . of God. This is not a natural process such as brings people into the world - not of blood (literally, bloods), suggesting the mingling of paternal and maternal strains in procreation. The will of the flesh suggests the natural, human desire for children, as the will of man (the word for husband) suggests the special desire for progeny to carry on a family name. So the new birth, something supernatural, is carefully guarded from confusion with natural birth." (Harrison, "The Gospel According to John." Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary [Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1962], p. 1073, emphasis and ellipsis his.)

Free Grace Study Notes 

"Salvation, or eternal life, is not inherited. Because one is born into a family of believers, he is not himself a possessor of divine life. 'Nor of the will of the flesh.' No one becomes a child of God by self-effort, Reformation, or turning over a new leaf, as men say, is not the same as being born again. 'Nor of the will of man.' No religious dignitary, or ecclesiastical authority, can produce the new life by any sacramental observances. 'But of God.'  New birth is of God alone. It is He who gives eternal life to all who believe in His Son." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

John 1:14

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας.

Free Grace Translation

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of [the] only-begotten from [the] Father, full of grace and truth.

Free Grace Study Notes

"'The Word became flesh' (R.V.). The Revised Version is clearer here than the Authorized Version. Strictly speaking, the eternal Word was not 'made' anything... He voluntarily 'became' flesh. That is, He stooped in grace to take our humanity into union with His deity, that He might reconcile us to God and become the Mediator between God and man. He 'dwelt among us.' It is literally 'tabernacled' among us. Of old, the tabernacle was the sanctuary in which the glory of God was hidden. So the humanity of Jesus was the temple in which Deity was enshrined. As to His personal glory, He was 'the only begotten of the Father.' Unbelieving men did not see this glory. Those who knew Him did. In Him they saw the fullness of grace and truth. All that God is has been told out in the Man Christ Jesus." —H. A. Ironside, "The Glory of the Son of God." The Sunday School Times (December 19, 1942), Vol. 84, Issue 51, p. 10. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:15

Greek Textus Receptus

Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κέκραγε λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν· ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.

Free Grace Translation

John testifies concerning Him, and cries out loudly saying, "This was He [of] whom I said, 'The [one] coming after me is [preferred] ahead of me, because He existed before me!'"

Free Grace Study Notes

"As to natural birth, John was older than the Lord Jesus. But he saw in Jesus the One who existed before he himself had any being. It is a testimony to the pre-existence of our Lord." —H. A. Ironside, "The Word Made Flesh." The Sunday School Times (December 21, 1946), Volume 88, Issue 51, p. 9.

John 1:16

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος

Free Grace Translation

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Free Grace Study Notes

"'Of his fulness have we all received.'  In Him dwelt 'all the fulness of the Godhead bodily' (Col. 2:9) and from that infinite store all who are one with Him by receiving divine life are filled full (Col. 2:10). Thus grace abounds upon grace. The supply is inexhaustible." —H. A. Ironside. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:17

Greek Textus Receptus

ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.

Free Grace Translation

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"'The law was given by Moses.'  This characterized the old dispensation. 'Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.'  From the moment He appeared, a new age began. God is now displaying His grace; not at the expense of His truth, but in full accordance with it." —H. A. Ironside. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

John 1:18

Greek Textus Receptus

Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε· ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο.

Free Grace Translation

No one has seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained [Him].

Free Grace Study Notes

"Deity is invisible to created eyes (Col. 1:15). 'The only begotten Son, subsisting in the Father’s bosom, hath told Him out.'  God is fully known in the person of His Son. " —H. A. Ironside. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

John 1:19

Greek Textus Receptus

Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευΐτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν, Σὺ τίς εἶ;

Free Grace Translation

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem in order that they might ask him, "Who are you?"

John 1:20

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ὡμολόγησε, καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο· καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ Χριστός.

Free Grace Translation

And he confessed and did not deny, and confessed, "I am not the Christ."

John 1:21

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, Τί οὖν; Ἠλίας εἶ σύ; καὶ λέγει, Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, Οὔ.

Free Grace Translation

And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."

John 1:22

Greek Textus Receptus

εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ, Τίς εἶ; ἵνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶμεν τοῖς πέμψασιν ἡμᾶς τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ;

Free Grace Translation

Therefore they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say concerning yourself?"

John 1:23

Greek Textus Receptus

ἔφη, Ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, καθὼς εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης.

Free Grace Translation

He said, "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord!' just as Isaiah the prophet said."

 

John 1:24

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων.

Free Grace Translation

And the [ones] [who] had been sent were from the Pharisees.

Bible Translation Notes

Literally, And the [ones] having been sent. Or, And those having been sent.

 

John 1:25

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Τί οὖν βαπτίζεις, εἰ σὺ οὐκ εἶ ὁ Χριστός, οὔτε Ἠλίας, οὔτε ὁ προφήτης;

Free Grace Translation

And they asked him, and said to him, "Then why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

 

John 1:26

Greek Textus Receptus

ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰωάννης, λέγων, Ἐγὼ βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· μέσος δὲ ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν ὃν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε

Free Grace Translation

John answered them saying, "I baptize in water, but in your midst stands He whom you do not know."

John 1:27

Greek Textus Receptus

αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν· οὗ ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος ἵνα λύσω αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος.

Free Grace Translation

"He is the one coming after me, who is [preferred] ahead of me; of whom I am not worthy that I should loose the strap of His sandal!"

 

John 1:28

Greek Textus Receptus

ταῦτα ἐν Βηθαβαρᾶ ἐγένετο πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ὅπου ἦν Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων.

Free Grace Translation

These things happened in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John 1:29

Greek Textus Receptus

Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέπει ὁ Ἰωάννης τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ λέγει Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου

Free Grace Translation

On the following day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 1:30

Greek Textus Receptus

οὗτός ἐστι περὶ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον, Ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ, ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.

Free Grace Translation:

"This is He about whom I said, 'After me is coming a Man who is [preferred] ahead of me, because He existed before me.'"

John 1:31

Greek Textus Receptus

κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν· ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τῷ Ἰσραήλ, διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βαπτίζων.

Free Grace Translation

"And I did not know Him, but that He might be manifested to Israel, for this reason I came baptizing in water."

John 1:32

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἰωάννης, λέγων ὅτι Τεθέαμαι τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν.

Free Grace Translation

And John testified, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and He remained on Him."

 

John 1:33

Greek Textus Receptus

κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν· ἀλλ’ ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν, Ἐφ’ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ’ αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.

Free Grace Translation

"And I did not recognize Him, but the one sending me to baptize in water, said to me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is the one baptizing in [the] Holy Spirit.'"

John 1:34

Greek Textus Receptus

κἀγὼ ἑώρακα, καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

"And I have seen, and I bear witness that this is the Son of God!"

John 1:35

Greek Textus Receptus

Τῇ ἐπαύριον πάλιν εἱστήκει ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο·

Free Grace Translation

The next day John was again standing [there], and two of his disciples,

 

John 1:36

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἐμβλέψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ περιπατοῦντι, λέγει, Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

and looking at Jesus walking by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"

John 1:37

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἤκουσαν αὐτοῦ οἱ δύο μαθηταὶ λαλοῦντος, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ.

Free Grace Translation

And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"John the Baptist had just directed attention to Jesus as he exclaimed, 'Behold the Lamb of God!' The two disciples, hearing his words, turned to Jesus, who was walking near by, and began to follow in His steps." —H. A. Ironside, "Andrew, The Man Who Brought Others." The Sunday School Times (July 31, 1948), Vol. 90, Issue 31, p. 6.

 

John 1:38

Greek Textus Receptus

στραφεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ θεασάμενος αὐτοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, λέγει αὐτοῖς, Τί ζητεῖτε; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Ῥαββί ὃ λέγεται ἑρμηνευόμενον, Διδάσκαλε, ποῦ μένεις;

Free Grace Translation

But Jesus, after turning and observing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" But they said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, being translated, Teacher), "where are you staying?"

Free Grace Study Notes

"It is evident they were eager to know Him better to whom John had directed their attention. All Israel was in expectation of Messiah’s coming, and these two were destined to be among the first to know and welcome Him." —H. A. Ironside.

 

John 1:39

Greek Textus Receptus

λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἔρχεσθε καὶ ἴδετε. ἦλθον καὶ εἶδον ποῦ μένει· καὶ παρ’ αὐτῷ ἔμειναν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην· ὥρα δὲ ἦν ὡς δεκάτη.

Free Grace Translation

He said to them, "Come and see." They went and saw where He was staying, and they remained with Him that day; it was about [the] tenth hour.

Free Grace Study Notes

"Invited by Jesus, they accompanied Him to His abode and spent some wonderful hours in His company. How interesting must their interview have been! It resulted in making them His forever." —H. A. Ironside.

 

John 1:40

Greek Textus Receptus

ἦν Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου εἷς ἐκ τῶν δύο τῶν ἀκουσάντων παρὰ Ἰωάννου καὶ ἀκολουθησάντων αὐτῷ.

Free Grace Translation

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John [speak] and followed Him.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"Inasmuch as in the lists of the apostles, Peter’s name always precedes Andrew’s it is reasonable to believe that Andrew was the younger of the two, and possibly the very energy of Peter had a deterring effect on Andrew, so that he became accustomed to keeping in the background: yet he became the one through whom his more self-reliant brother was reached for Christ." —H. A. Ironside.

 

John 1:41

Greek Textus Receptus

εὑρίσκει οὗτος πρῶτος τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, ὁ Χριστός.

Free Grace Translation

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).

Free Grace Study Notes

"Grateful for the revelation that had come to him and believing without question in the claims of Jesus, Andrew lost no time in seeking out his brother Simon, who was already a disciple of John the Baptist (Acts 1:21, 22) to whom he gave the glad message, 'We have found the Messias, which is . . . the Christ.' " —H. A. Ironside, "Andrew, The Man Who Brought Others." The Sunday School Times (July 31, 1948), Vol. 90, No. 31, p. 6. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

 

John 1:42

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. ἐμβλέψας δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε, Σὺ εἶ Σίμων ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωνᾶ· σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Πέτρος.

Free Grace Translation

And he brought him to Jesus. But looking intently at him, Jesus said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Free Grace Study Notes

"'He brought him to Jesus.'  The result was that Simon immediately accompanied Andrew to Jesus, who received him as a disciple and gave him a new name, the name by which he was ever after to be known, 'Thou shalt be called Cephas,' that is, a stone. The word is Aramaic and answers to the Greek 'Peter.'  Both names were used interchangeably in after days." —H. A. Ironside, "Andrew, The Man Who Brought Others." The Sunday School Times (July 31, 1948), Vol. 90, No. 31, p. 6. Note: Dr. Ironside's commentary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

"These words were spoken by the Lord Jesus when Andrew brought his brother to Him. They show us that the Lord recognized in this man, from the first, one who would become, through His grace, a stalwart, rocklike preacher of the Word." —H. A. Ironside, "Decisive Moments in Peter's Life." The Sunday School Times (April 13, 1946), Vol. 88, No. 15, p. 9.

 

John 1:43

Greek Textus Receptus

Τῇ ἐπαύριον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ἀκολούθει μοι.

Free Grace Translation

The next day Jesus decided to go out into Galilee, and He found Philip, and said to him, "Follow Me."

Free Grace Study Notes 

"From this verse it might appear that Philip followed Jesus without being evangelized by another disciple, but there are several indications that Philip was approached by Andrew and Peter before he actually met the Lord. Verse 44 says that Andrew and Peter were from the same city as Philip, suggesting that they had talked to him. Furthermore, when Philip told Nathaniel what had happened, he said 'we' have found the Messiah (v. 45)." (Earl D. Radmacher, General Editor, The NKJV Study Bible [Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007], p. 1658, bold original.)

"Andrew found Philip . . . somewhere along the way, or, most likely, in Galilee. [. . .] Having come to Jesus on Andrew's invitation, Philip accepted Jesus' invitation to follow Him." (Thomas L. Constable, Notes on John, comment on John 1:43-44, ellipsis and brackets added.)

John 1:44

Greek Textus Receptus

ἦν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Βηθσαϊδά, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως Ἀνδρέου καὶ Πέτρου.

Free Grace Translation

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, from the city of Andrew and Peter.

Free Grace Study Notes 

"Bethsaida—'The house of nets,' so called because inhabited by fisherman. There were two places by this name." —William B. Olmstead, Editor, Practical Commentary Lessons 1908 (Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1907), "Jesus and His First Disciples" (January 19, 1908), p. 25.

"From Bethsaida (απο Βηθσαιδα). Same expression in John 12:21 with the added words 'of Galilee,' which locates it in Galilee, not in Iturea. There were two Bethsaidas, one called Bethsaida Julias in Iturea (that in Luke 9:10) or the Eastern Bethsaida, the other the Western Bethsaida in Galilee (Mark 6:45), perhaps somewhere near Capernaum. This is the town of Andrew and Peter and Philip. Hence Philip would be inclined to follow the example of his townsmen." (A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. V, p. 28, commentary on John 1:44.)

 

John 1:45

Greek Textus Receptus

εὑρίσκει Φίλιππος τὸν Ναθαναήλ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ὃν ἔγραψε Μωσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ οἱ προφῆται εὑρήκαμεν, Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ.

Free Grace Translation

Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found [the one] whom Moses wrote [about] in the Law and the Prophets, Jesus the son of Joseph from Nazareth."

Bible Translation Notes

Grk. Ὃν ἔγραψε . . . etc. Literally, "Whom Moses wrote [about] in the Law and the Prophets we have found, Jesus the son of Joseph, the one from Nazareth."

 

John 1:46

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ, Ἐκ Ναζαρὲθ δύναταί τι ἀγαθὸν εἶναι; λέγει αὐτῷ Φίλιππος, Ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε.

Free Grace Translation

And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good be from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

 

John 1:47

Greek Textus Receptus

εἶδεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ, Ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards Him, and said concerning him, "Behold, [this is] truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!"

Bible Translation Notes

Compare with Bowes' translation, which on John 1:47b reads: "Behold truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile!" (John Bowes, The New Testament: Translated From the Purest Greek [Dundee, 1870], p. 145.) Also see the statement by Augustine, when he quotes the same passage and it is translated: "This is truly an Israelite in whom there is no guile." (Augustine, "Homily 7, On John 1:34-51," Translated by Edmund Hill, "Homilies on the Gospel of John 1-40," The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century [New York: New City Press, 2009], Vol. 12, p. 160.)

 

John 1:48

Greek Textus Receptus

λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ, Πόθεν με γινώσκεις; ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι, ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν, εἶδόν σε.

Free Grace Translation

Nathanael said to Him, "Where do you know me from?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

John 1:49

Greek Textus Receptus

ἀπεκρίθη Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ῥαββί, σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.

Free Grace Translation

Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

John 1:50

Greek Textus Receptus  

ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ὅτι εἶπόν σοι, εἶδόν σε ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς, πιστεύεις; μείζω τούτων ὄψει.

Free Grace Translation

Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' you believe? You will see greater things than these!"

 

John 1:51

Greek Textus Receptus

καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπ’ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

Free Grace Translation

And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, from henceforth you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."