John 12:50

And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses the crowd and His disciples at the close of His public ministry, immediately after the anointing at Bethany and before His arrest. He speaks to establish that His teaching originates entirely from the Father who sent Him.

The words — The text centers on ἐντολὴ (entolē), meaning "commandment," and ζωὴ αἰώνιος (zōē aiōnios), meaning "eternal life." Jesus states plainly that the Father’s command is the direct source of everlasting life.

The thread — This connection between divine command and eternal life runs through John 6:63 and John 6:68, where Jesus’ spoken words are identified as spirit and life, and John 17:3, which defines that life as knowing the Father and the Son.

Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to accept that Jesus’ teachings carry divine authority rather than human invention. It demands submission to the Father’s command as the exclusive means to attain eternal life.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Cross-references

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
John 6:68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
John 20:31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
1 Timothy 1:16 But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.
1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.
1 John 5:11 And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.