John 6:65

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does John 6:65 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.
John 6:65 — American Standard Version

Context — John 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
65And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.

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 he said, therefore said I unto you, etc.] Referring to (<430644>John 6:44), where the substance of what is here said, is there delivered; though the Ethiopic version reads, therefore I say unto you, what follows: that no man can come to me, except it be given him of my Father; which is the same, as to be drawn by the Father; for faith in Christ is the gift of God, and coming to him, is owing to efficacious grace, and is not the produce of man’s power and freewill; (see Gill on “<430644>John 6:44”).”
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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
“Therefore said I, &c.--that is, "That was why I spoke to you of the necessity of divine teaching which some of you are strangers to." except it were given him--plainly showing that by the Father's "drawing" (Joh 6:44) was meant an internal and efficacious operation, for in recalling the statement here He says, it must be "given to a man to come" to Christ.”
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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
“Unless it be given - And it is given to those only who will receive it on God's own terms. John 6:66”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“6:65 people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me (see 6:44): Only God’s light can penetrate the profound darkness of the world.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“that no: Joh 6:37, Joh 6:44, Joh 6:45, Joh 10:16, Joh 10:26, Joh 10:27, Joh 12:37-41; Eph 2:8, Eph 2:9; Phi 1:29; Ti1 1:14; Ti2 2:25; Tit 3:3-7; Heb 12:2; Jam 1:16-18 John 6:66”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification