# John 5.31-39

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-18 | updated: 2026-08-18 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">He was the lamp that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light.</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not.</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;</span>**
>
> 40. <span class="rl-speech">and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.</span> 41. <span class="rl-speech">I receive not glory from men.</span> (John 5:29-41, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">“If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.</span>**
>
> 40. <span class="rl-speech">Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.</span> 41. <span class="rl-speech">I don’t receive glory from men.</span> (John 5:29-41, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.</span>**
>
> 40. <span class="rl-speech">And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.</span> 41. <span class="rl-speech">I receive not honour from men.</span> (John 5:29-41, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">'I am not able of myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">'If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true;</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">another there is who is testifying concerning me, and I have known that the testimony that he doth testify concerning me is true;</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">ye have sent unto John, and he hath testified to the truth.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">'But I do not receive testimony from man, but these things I say that ye may be saved;</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">he was the burning and shining lamp, and ye did will to be glad, for an hour, in his light.</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">'But I have the testimony greater than John'</span>s, for the works that the Father gave me, that I might finish them, the works themselves that I do, they testify concerning me, that the Father hath sent me. 37. 'And the Father who sent me Himself hath testified concerning me; ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor His appearance have ye seen; 38. and His word ye have not remaining in you, because whom He sent, him ye do not believe. 39. 'Ye search the Writings, because ye think in them to have life age-during, and these are they that are testifying concerning me;**
>
> 40. and ye do not will to come unto me, that ye may have life; 41. glory from man I do not receive, (John 5:29-41, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), *aionios*, Strong's G0166
- [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/), *aletheia*, Strong's G0225
- [G4982 - sozo](/codex/g4982-sozo/), *sozo*, Strong's G4982
- [G2222 - zoe](/codex/g2222-zoe/), *zoe*, Strong's G2222
- [G4100 - pisteuo](/codex/g4100-pisteuo/), *pisteuo*, Strong's G4100
- [G3056 - logos](/codex/g3056-logos/), *logos*, Strong's G3056

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Christians Not Under Mosaic Law](/codex/christians-not-under-mosaic-law/), via [John 5.39](/codex/john-5-39/)
- [Cumulative Case for the Deity of Christ](/codex/cumulative-case-for-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 5.39](/codex/john-5-39/)
- [Sabbath Breaking Stoning Objection Defeater](/codex/sabbath-breaking-stoning-objection-defeater/), via [John 5.39-47](/codex/john-5-39-47/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 5](/codex/john-5/)
- [Mosaic Law](/codex/mosaic-law/), via [John 5.39](/codex/john-5-39/)
- [Old Testament Witness to the Deity of Christ](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 5.39](/codex/john-5-39/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H6213 - asah](/codex/h6213-asah/), via [John 5.36](/codex/john-5-36/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.