John 16 · Verse 31

John 16:31

Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
John 16:31, King James Version

John 16:31 in other translations

BSB“Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied.
WEBJesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
ASVJesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
YLTJesus answered them, ‘Now do ye believe? lo, there doth come an hour,
DARBYJesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
BBEJesus made answer, Have you faith now?
WebsterJesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

What does John 16:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 16:31-33
31-33. Jesus answered ... Do ye now believe?--that is, "It is well ye do, for it is soon to be tested, and in a way ye little expect." the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone--A deep and awful sense of wrong experienced is certainly expressed here, but how lovingly! That He was not to be utterly deserted, that there was One who would not forsake Him, was to Him matter of ineffable support and consolation; but that He should be without all human countenance and cheer, who as Man was exquisitely sensitive to the law of sympathy, would fill themselves with as much shame, when they afterwards recurred to it, as the Redeemer's heart in His hour of need with pungent sorrow. "I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none" (Psa 69:20). because the Father is with me--how near, and with what sustaining power, who can express?

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. Do ye now believe? Do you truly and really believe? This question was evidently asked to put them on a full examination of their hearts. Though they supposed that they had unshaken faith--faith that would endure every trial, yet he told them that they were about to go through scenes that would test them, and where they would need all their confidence in God. When we feel strong in the faith we should examine ourselves. It may be that we are deceived; and it may be that God may even then be preparing trials for us that will shake our faith to its foundation. The Syriac and Arabic read this in the indicative as an affirmation--"Ye do now believe." The sense is not affected by this reading.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Do ye now believe? - And will ye continue to believe? Ye are now fully convinced; and will ye in the hour of trial retain your conviction, and prove faithful and steady?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 16:28-33

Here is a plain declaration of Christ's coming from the Father, and his return to him. The Redeemer, in his entrance, was God manifest in the flesh, and in his departure was received up into glory. By this saying the disciples improved in knowledge. Also in faith; "Now are we sure." Alas! they knew not their own weakness. The Divine nature did not desert the human nature, but supported it, and put comfort and value…

Read the full comment on John 16:28-33 →

John 16:31 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.

ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēAnsweredG611
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ἄρτιartiNowG737
πιστεύετε;pisteuetedo you believe?G4100

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

Cross references for John 16:31

  • Luke 9:44-45

    Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

  • John 13:38

    Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Do.
13:38; Lu 9:44,45

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

Context

  • John 16:30

    Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

  • John 16:31

    Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

  • John 16:32

    Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

Read all of John 16

John 16:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Respondióles Jesús: ¿Ahora creéis?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus leur répondit: Vous croyez maintenant?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus antwortete ihnen: Glaubet ihr jetzt?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Respondit eis Jesus: Modo creditis?