John 12 · Verse 20

John 12:20

And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
John 12:20, King James Version

John 12:20 in other translations

BSBNow there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
WEBNow there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
ASVNow there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast:
YLTAnd there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the feast,
DARBYAnd there were certain Greeks among those who came up that they might worship in the feast;
BBENow there were some Greeks among the people who had come up to give worship at the feast:
WebsterAnd there were certain Greeks among them, that came to worship at the feast.

What does John 12:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 12:20-22

Joh 12:20-36. Some Greeks Desire to See Jesus--The Discourse and Scene Thereupon.

20-22. Greeks--Not Grecian Jews, but Greek proselytes to the Jewish faith, who were wont to attend the annual festivals, particularly this primary one, the Passover. The same came therefore to Philip ... of Bethsaida--possibly as being from the same quarter. saying, Sir, we would see Jesus--certainly in a far better sense than Zaccheus (Lu 19:3). Perhaps He was then in that part of the temple court to which Gentile proselytes had no access. "These men from the west represent, at the end of Christ's life, what the wise men from the east represented at its beginning; but those come to the cross of the King, even as these to His manger" [Stier].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Certain Greeks. In the original, "some Hellenists"-- the name commonly given to the Greeks. The same name was commonly used by the Jews to denote all the pagan nations, because most of those whom they knew spoke the Greek language, Jn 7:34, Rom 1:16, 2:9,10, 3:9

"Jews and Greeks." The Syriac translates this place, "Some of the Gentiles." There are three opinions in regard to these persons:

1st. That they were Jews who spoke the Greek language, and dwelt in some of the Greek cities. It is known that Jews were scattered in Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia, Egypt, &c., in all which places they had synagogues. Jn 7:35.

2nd. That they were proselytes from the Greeks.

3rd. That they were still Gentiles and idolaters, who came to bring offerings to Jehovah to be deposited in the temple. Lightfoot has shown that the surrounding pagans were accustomed not only to send presents, sacrifices, and offerings to the temple, but that they also frequently attended the great feasts of the Jews. Hence the outer court of the temple was called the court of the Gentiles. Which of these opinions is the correct one cannot be determined.

(s) "certain Greeks" Acts 17:4, Rom 1:16 (t) "them that came up" 1Kgs 8:41,42

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Certain Greeks - There are three opinions concerning these: 1. That they were proselytes of the gate or covenant, who came up to worship the true God at this feast. 2. That they were real Jews, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language. 3. That they were mere Gentiles, who never knew the true God: and hearing of the fame of the temple, or the miracles of our Lord, came to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, and to worship him according to the manner of the people of that land. This was not an unfrequent case: many of the Gentiles, Romans, and others, were in the habit of sending sacrifices to the temple at Jerusalem. Of these opinions the reader may choose; but the first seems best founded.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 12:20-26
In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 12:20 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.

ἮσανĒsanThere wereG1510
δὲdenowG1161
ἝλληνέςHellēnesGreeksG1672
τινεςtinescertainG5100
ἐκekamongG1537
τῶνtōnthoseG3588
ἀναβαινόντωνanabainontōncoming upG305
ἵναinathatG2443
προσκυνήσωσινproskunēsōsinthey may worshipG4352
ἐνenatG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἑορτῇ.he'ortēafeast.G1859

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

Cross references for John 12:20

  • John 7:35

    Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

  • Isaiah 11:10

    And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

  • Acts 17:4

    And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

  • 1 Kings 8:41-43

    Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.

  • Mark 7:26

    The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

  • Acts 8:27

    And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

  • Galatians 2:3

    But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

  • Isaiah 60:2-14

    For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. …

  • Acts 14:1

    And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

  • Acts 16:1

    Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

  • Acts 20:21

    Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Acts 21:28

    Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Greeks.
7:35; Mr 7:26; Ac 14:1; 16:1; 17:4; 20:21; 21:28; Ro 1:16; 10:12
Ga 2:3; 3:28; Col 3:11
to worship.
1Ki 8:41-43; Isa 11:10; 60:2-14; 66:19-21; Ac 8:27

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

Context

  • 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:

  • John 12:21

    The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

Read all of John 12

John 12:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y había ciertos Griegos de los que habían subido á adorar en la fiesta:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or il y avait quelques Grecs, d’entre ceux qui étaient montés pour adorer pendant la fête.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es waren aber etliche Griechen unter denen, die hinaufkamen, auf daß sie auf dem Feste anbeteten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erant autem quidam gentiles, ex his qui ascenderant ut adorarent in die festo.