John 1:51 BSB — MannaFest

John 1:51

Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

KJV

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

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Commentary

1 voice

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 2 (444)

Common now to all is the word which seals the faith of Nathanael. But in saying that angels shall be seen speeding up and down upon the Son of Man, that is, ministering and serving His commands, for the salvation of such as shall believe, He says that then especially shall He be revealed as being by Nature Son of God. For it is not one another that the rational powers serve but surely God. And this does not take away subjection among the angels (for this will not be reasonably called bondage).

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

Ambrose of Milan

On Jacob and the Blessed Life 2.4.16 (397)

And Jacob went on, and slept, which is a sign of a peaceful soul: and he saw the angels of God ascending and descending, that is, he foresaw Christ on earth, to whom a host of angels descended and ascended, offering service to their own pious Lord.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Hereafter ye shall see - All of these, as well as thou, who believe on me now in my state of humiliation, shall hereafter see me come in my glory, and all the angels of God with me.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Verily, verily - In the Greek, “Amen, amen.” The word “amen” means “truly, certainly, so be it” - from the Hebrew verb to confirm, to establish, to be true. It is often used in this gospel. When repeated it expresses the speaker’s sense of the importance of what he is saying, and the “certainty” that it is as he affirms. Ye shall see - Not, perhaps, with the bodily eyes, but you shall have “evidence” that it is so. The thing shall take place, and you shall be a witness of it.

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

24 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
λέγει	legei	He says	G3004 →
αὐτῷ·	autō	to him;	G846 →
ἀμὴν	amēn	Amen	G281 →
ἀμὴν	amēn	Amen	G281 →
λέγω	legō	I say	G3004 →
ὑμῖν	humin	to all of you	G4771 →
ὄψεσθε	opsesthe	you will behold	G3700 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
οὐρανὸν	ouranon	heaven	G3772 →
ἀνεῳγότα	aneōgota	having opened	G455 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τοὺς	tous	the	G3588 →
ἀγγέλους	angelous	angels	G32 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
ἀναβαίνοντας	anabainontas	ascending	G305 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
καταβαίνοντας	katabainontas	descending	G2597 →
ἐπὶ	epi	on	G1909 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
υἱὸν	huion	Son	G5207 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
ἀνθρώπου.¶	anthrōpou	of Man.	G444 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Genesis 28:12
And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
leads to
- Numbers 12:6
  He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.
- Genesis 32:1–2
  Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
- Job 33:15–16
  In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
- Genesis 15:1
  After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
- 2 Timothy 4:16–17
  At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
Through
Luke 22:43
Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.
leads to
- Matthew 4:11
  Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.
- Matthew 26:53
  Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Through
Mark 1:10
As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
leads to
- Matthew 3:16
  As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.

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About John

The Word Made Flesh — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain

John: the study guide →Read chapter 1 →The featured study →

Continue: John 1 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About John

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About John