John 12:36

You have to listen to my message while I am still here, and you have to believe it, so that you will be my followers. Then it will be like you are living in the light that I’m shining for you.” After Jesus said those things, he left that place and stayed away from those people, so they didn’t know where he was.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

In Context

35Jesus said, “I am like a light shining for you. You see, I am telling you the true message. But I will only be here with you a little bit longer. So while I am here, you have to listen to my message and believe it. It’s like the light is shining and people have to walk about while there is light, because people that walk in the dark don’t know where they are going. So if you don’t listen properly to my message while I am here, then you will not know the right way to live, and it will be like you are always in the dark.

37A lot of people saw Jesus do lots of powerful things, but they still did not believe in him.

Read all of John 12

Cross References

John 1:7His job was to tell everyone about the person that is that light, so everyone could hear his message and believe it.

John 8:59The Jewish leaders didn’t like Jesus saying that he is always alive. That’s the same as saying he is God. So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid from them, and then he left God’s ceremony house, and he went away.

John 11:54Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he stopped going to places where there were a lot of people. He left that country and went to a town called Ephraim, that was near the desert, and Jesus and his special workers stayed there.

Ephesians 5:8You see, you used to be like that before. You didn’t know what was right, like you were living in the dark. But then you came to our leader, Jesus, and now you are in the light. So live like people that belong to the light.

1 Thessalonians 5:8But we belong to the day time, so we have to think properly. We have to keep on loving God and trusting him to save us. When we do that, it will make us strong for God, like when soldiers put on special clothes made out of iron, to stop the enemy from hurting them.

Matthew Henry on John 12:28-37

The Divine Attestation to Christ; Christ's Discourse with the People. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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