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John 12:38

“so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?””

John 12:38 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

38

Quotation · Isaiah 53:1

Go to Isaiah 53:1

John quotes it when he says that many did not believe in Jesus, though he had done so many signs (12:37). John begins with “Lord,” which is not in the Hebrew.

Formula: ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὃν εἶπεν “so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke” (John 12:38)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὃν εἶπεν Κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη

Hebrew (Masoretic text): מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרוֹעַ יְהוָה עַל מִי נִגְלָתָה

Septuagint (Isaiah 53:1 in the Septuagint numbering): Kύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὃ Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη;

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 7 consecutive words: “τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

John 12:38, word by word

the wordλόγοςlogos

message

What God says, proclaimed to people.

Where else “logos” appears
of IsaiahἨσαΐουĒsaiou

Isaiah

Isaiah, the prophet of Judah whose book announces the Messiah and God's salvation.

Where else “Ēsaiou” appears
the prophetπροφήτουprophētou

prophet

Someone who speaks for God.

Where else “prophētou” appears
might be fulfilledπληρωθῇplērōthēi

be fulfilled

For what was foretold to come true.

Where else “plērōthēi” appears
he spokeεἶπενeipen

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “eipen” appears
“LordΚύριεKyrie

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “Kyrie” appears
has believedἐπίστευσενepisteusen

trust

To trust in God or in Jesus.

Where else “episteusen” appears
our reportἀκοῇakoēi

message

What is preached and people listen to: the word proclaimed.

Where else “akoēi” appears
has the armβραχίωνbrachiōn

arm

Arm.

Where else “brachiōn” appears
been revealedἀπεκαλύφθηapekalyphthē

reveal

Reveal, uncover what was hidden.

Where else “apekalyphthē” appears

Translation note

Isaiah 53:1, following the Greek.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Isaiah 53:1

John quotes it when he says that many did not believe in Jesus, though he had done so many signs (12:37). John begins with “Lord,” which is not in the Hebrew.

See them side by side

John 12:38

38so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Isaiah 53:1

1Who has believed our message? And the arm of YHWH, upon whom has it been revealed?

The context

37But though he had done so many signs before them, they were not believing in him,

38 · This verse (above)

39For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said,

Read all of John 12

To study John 12 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does Mary do with the perfume at the dinner in Bethany, and what does Judas object? How does Jesus answer? (vv. 3-8)

  2. 2. What it means

    Jesus says a grain of wheat, if it dies, bears much fruit (v. 24). What connection does he see between losing one's life and serving him? (vv. 24-26)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Mary gave the best she had to Jesus (v. 3). What is the best you have, and how could you offer it with love today?

How to use it