John 6:40

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does John 6:40 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:40 — American Standard Version

Context — John 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
40For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And this is the will of him that sent me, etc.] The Vulgate Latin adds, “of my Father”; and all the Oriental versions read only, “and this is the will of my Father”; this is his declared, his revealed will in the Gospel, which the sons of men are made acquainted with, as the other was his secret will, which was only known to the Son till he discovered it. That everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him; who so sees him as to believe in him; for this is not to be understood of a corporeal sight of Christ, or of a mere speculative knowledge of him, or historical faith in him; for it is not so to see him, as merely to believe what he is, the Son of God, the Messiah and Saviour of the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And this--in the second place. is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him--seeing the Son believeth on Him. may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day--This is the human side of the same thing as in the foregoing verse, and answering to "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out"; that is, I have it expressly in charge that everyone that so "beholdeth" (so vieweth) the Son as to believe on Him shall have everlasting life; and, that none of Him be lost, "I will raise him up at the last day." (See on Joh 6:54).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him - It was not sufficient to see him and hear him, but it was necessary, also, to believe on him. Many of the Jews had seen him, but few believed on him. Jesus had said in the previous verse that all that the Father had given him should be saved. But he never left a doctrine so that men must misunderstand it. Lest it should be supposed that if a man was given to him this was all that was needful, and lest anyone should say, “If I am to be saved I shall be, and my efforts will be useless,” he states here that it is necessary that a man should believe on him. This would be the evidence that he was given to God, and this would be evidence…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Here is the sum of Joh 6:37-39. This is the will of him that sent me - This is the whole of what I have said: this is the eternal, unchangeable will of God. Every one who truly believeth, shall have everlasting life. Every one that seeth and believeth - The Jews saw, and yet believed not. And I will raise him up - As this is the will of him that sent me, I will perform it effectually. John 6:44”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“seeth: Joh 6:36, Joh 6:37, Joh 1:14, Joh 4:14, Joh 8:56; Isa 45:21, Isa 45:22, Isa 52:10, Isa 53:2; Luk 2:30; Co2 4:6; Heb 11:1, Heb 11:27; Pe1 1:8; Jo1 1:1-3 and believeth: Joh 6:27, Joh 6:35, Joh 6:54, Joh 3:15-18, Joh 3:36, Joh 5:24, Joh 10:28, Joh 12:50, Joh 17:2; Mar 16:16; Rom 5:21; Rom 6:23; Jo1 2:25, Jo1 5:11-13; Jde 1:21 I will: Joh 11:25 John 6:41”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification