John 12 · Verse 31

John 12:31

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
John 12:31, King James Version

John 12:31 in other translations

BSBNow judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.
WEBNow is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
ASVNow is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
YLTnow is a judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast forth;
DARBYNow is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out:
BBENow is this world to be judged: now will the ruler of this world be sent out.
WebsterNow is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

What does John 12:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 12:29-33

29-33. The people therefore that stood by, said, It thundered; others, An angel spake to him--some hearing only a sound, others an articulate, but to them unintelligible voice.

Read the full comment on John 12:29-33 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Greek, "crisis." This expression, doubtless, has reference to his approaching death, and whatever he means by judgment here relates to something that was to be accomplished by that death. It cannot mean that then was to be the time in which the world was to be finally judged, for he says that he did not come then to judge the world (Jn 12:47, 8:15), and he has clearly declared that there shall be a future day when he will judge all mankind. The meaning of it may be thus expressed:

"Now is approaching the decisive scene, the eventful
period--the crisis--when it shall be determined who
shall rule this world. There has been a long
conflict between the powers of light and darkness--
between God and the devil. Satan has so effectually
ruled that he may be said to be the prince of this
world; but my approaching death will destroy his
kingdom, will break down his power, and will be the
means of setting up the kingdom of God over man."


The death of Christ was to be the most grand and effectual of all means that could be used to establish the authority of the law and the government of God, Rom 8:3,4. This it did by showing the regard which God had for his law; by showing his hatred of sin, and presenting the strongest motives to induce man to leave the service of Satan; by securing the influences of the Holy Spirit, and by his putting forth his own direct power in the cause of virtue and of God. The death of Jesus was the determining cause, the grand crisis, the concentration of all that God had ever done, or ever will do, to break down the kingdom of Satan, and set up his power over man. Thus was fulfilled the prediction (Gen 3:15),

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy
head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."


Now shall the prince of this world. Satan, or the devil, Jn 14:30, 16:11. He is also called the god of this world, 2Cor 4:4, Eph 6:12: "The rulers of the darkness of this world "--that is, the rulers of this dark world--a well-known Hebraism. He is also called "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph 2:2. All these names are given him from the influence or power which he has over the men of this world, because the great mass of men have been under his control and subject to his will.

Be cast out. His kingdom shall be destroyed; his empire shall come to an end. It does not mean that his reign over all men would entirely cease then, but that then would be the crisis, the grand conflict in which he would be vanquished, and from that time his kingdom begin to decline, until it would finally cease, and then be free altogether from his dominion. See Lk 10:18, Col 1:18-20, Acts 26:18; 1Cor 15:25,26; Rev 20:14.

(f) "the prince of this world" Lk 10:18, Jn 16:11, Acts 26:18, Eph 2:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Now is the judgment of this world - The judgment spoken of in this place is applied by some to the punishment which was about to fall on the Jewish people for rejecting Christ. And the ruler or prince, ὁ αρχων, of this world, is understood to be Satan, who had blinded the eyes of the Jews, and hardened their hearts, that they might not believe on the Son of God; but his kingdom, not only among the Jews, but in all the world, was about to be destroyed by the abolition of idolatry and the vocation of the Gentiles. The epithet סר העולם sar ha-olam, prince of this world, is repeatedly applied to the devil, or to Samael, who is termed the angel of death. The Jews fabled that, into the hands of this chief, God had delivered all the nations of the earth, except the Israelites. See Lightfoot. The words are understood by others as addressed to these believing Greeks, and to have the following meaning, which is extremely different from the other. "In a short time (four or five days afterwards) ye shall see what sort of a judgment this world passes. I, who am its ruler and prince, shall be cast out, shall be condemned by my own creatures, as an impious and wicked person. But do not be discouraged: though I be lifted up on the cross, and die like a malefactor, nevertheless I will draw all men unto myself. The Gospel of Christ crucified shall be the grand agent, in the hand of the Most High, of the conversion and salvation of a ruined world." But see on Joh 14:30 (note); Joh 16:11 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 12:27-33

The sin of our souls was the troubled of Christ's soul, when he undertook to redeem and save us, and to make his soul an offering for our sin. Christ was willing to suffer, yet prayed to be saved from suffering. Prayer against trouble may well agree with patience under it, and submission to the will of God in it. Our Lord Jesus undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by humbling himself. The voice…

Read the full comment on John 12:27-33 →

John 12:31 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.

νῦνnunNowG3568
κρίσιςkrisis[the] judgmentG2920
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
τοῦtouof theG3588
κόσμουkosmouworldG2889
τούτου·toutouof this;G3778
νῦνnunnowG3568
ὁhotheG3588
ἄρχωνarchōnprinceG758
τοῦtouof theG3588
κόσμουkosmouworldG2889
τούτουtoutouthisG3778
ἐκβληθήσεταιekblēthēsetaiwill be castG1544
ἔξω,exōout,G1854

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

Cross references for John 12:31

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4

    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

  • 1 John 3:8

    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

  • 1 John 5:19

    And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

  • John 14:30

    Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

  • Ephesians 6:12

    For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

  • Colossians 2:15

    And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

  • Hebrews 2:14

    Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

  • Revelation 20:2-3

    And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

  • John 16:8-11

    And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

  • 1 John 4:4

    Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

  • Revelation 12:9-11

    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  • Ephesians 2:1-2

    And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
is.
5:22-27; 16:8-10
now.
14:30; 16:11; Ge 3:15; Isa 49:24; Mt 12:28; Lu 10:17-19; Ac 26:18
2Co 4:4; Eph 2:1,2; 6:12; Col 2:15; Heb 2:14; 1Jo 3:8; Re 12:9-11
Re 20:2,3

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

Context

  • John 12:30

    Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

  • John 12:31

    Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

  • John 12:32

    And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Read all of John 12

John 12:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ahora es el juicio de este mundo: ahora el príncipe de este mundo será echado fuera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Maintenant est le jugement de ce monde; maintenant le chef de ce monde sera jeté dehors.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jetzt ist das Gericht dieser Welt; jetzt wird der Fürst dieser Welt hinausgeworfen werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nunc judicium est mundi: nunc princeps hujus mundi ejicietur foras.