John 12 · Verse 19

John 12:19

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
John 12:19, King James Version

John 12:19 in other translations

BSBThen the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
WEBThe Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
ASVThe Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him.
YLTthe Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves, ‘Ye see that ye do not gain anything, lo, the world did go after him.'
DARBYThe Pharisees therefore said to one another, Ye see that ye profit nothing: behold, the world is gone after him.
BBEThen the Pharisees said one to another, You see, you are unable to do anything: the world has gone after him.
WebsterThe Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

What does John 12:19 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Prevail nothing. All your efforts are ineffectual to stop the progress of his opinions, and to prevent the people from believing on him.

The world. As we should say, "Everybody--all the city has gone out." The fact that he met with such success induced them to hasten their design of putting him to death, Jn 11:53.

(r) "Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing" Jn 11:47,48

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Ye prevail nothing - Either by your threatening or excommunications. The world is gone after him - The whole mass of the people are becoming his disciples. This is a very common form of expression among the Jews, and simply answers to the French, tout le monde, and to the English, every body - the bulk of the people. Many MSS., versions, and fathers, add ὁλος, the Whole world. As our Lord's converts were rapidly increasing, the Pharisees thought it necessary to execute without delay what they had purposed at their first council. See Joh 11:53.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 12:12-19

Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.

Read the full comment on John 12:12-19 →

John 12:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΟἱHoi<the>G3588
οὖνounThereforeG3767
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisaioithe PhariseesG5330
εἶπανeipansaidG2036
πρὸςprosamongG4314
ἑαυτούς·he'autousthemselves;G1438
θεωρεῖτεtheōreiteYou seeG2334
ὅτιhotithatG3754
οὐκouknotG3756
ὠφελεῖτεōpheleiteyou gainG5623
οὐδέν;oudenno [thing]?G3762
ἴδεideBeholdG2396
ὁhotheG3588
κόσμοςkosmosworldG2889
ὀπίσωopisōafterG3694
αὐτοῦautouHimG846
ἀπῆλθεν.¶apēlthenhas gone.G565

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 12:19

  • Acts 17:6

    And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

  • Psalms 22:27

    All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

  • Acts 4:16-17

    Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

  • 1 John 2:2

    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

  • John 3:26

    And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

  • Acts 5:27-28

    And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

  • John 17:21

    That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

  • Isaiah 27:6

    He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

  • John 11:47-50

    Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

  • Luke 19:47-48

    And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

  • Psalms 49:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

  • Matthew 21:15

    And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Perceive.
11:47-50; Mt 21:15; Lu 19:47,48; Ac 4:16,17; 5:27,28
the world.
3:26; 17:21; Ps 22:27; 49:1; Isa 27:6; Ac 17:6; 1Jo 2:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 12:18

    For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

  • John 12:19

    The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

  • John 12:20

    And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

Read all of John 12

John 12:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas los Fariseos dijeron entre sí: ¿Veis que nada aprovecháis? he aquí, el mundo se va tras de él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Les pharisiens donc dirent entre eux: Vous voyez que vous ne gagnez rien; voici, le monde est allé après lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da sprachen die Pharisäer zueinander: Ihr sehet, daß ihr gar nichts ausrichtet; siehe, die Welt ist ihm nachgegangen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Pharisæi ergo dixerunt ad semetipsos: Videtis quia nihil proficimus? ecce mundus totus post eum abiit.