John 20 · Verse 31

John 20:31

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 20:31, King James Version

John 20:31 in other translations

BSBBut these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
WEBbut these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
ASVbut these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.
YLTand these have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in his name.'
DARBYbut these are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life in his name.
BBEBut these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name.
WebsterBut these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life through his name.

What does John 20:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
31. But these are written--as sufficient specimens. the Christ, the Son of God--the one His official, the other His personal, title. believing ... may have life--(See on Joh 6:51-54).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. These are written. Those recorded in this gospel.

That ye might believe, &c. This is a clue to the design which John had in view in writing this gospel. The whole scope or end of the book is to accomplish two objects:

1st. To prove that Jesus was the Messiah; and,

2nd. That they who looked at the proof might be convinced and have eternal life. This design is kept in view throughout the book. The miracles, facts, arguments, instructions, and conversations of our Lord all tend to this. This point had not been kept in view so directly by either of the other evangelists, and it was reserved for the last of the apostles to collect those arguments, and make out a connected demonstration that Jesus was the Messiah. If this design of John is kept steadily in view, it will throw much light on the book, and the argument is unanswerable, framed after the strictest rules of reasoning, infinitely beyond the skill of man, and having throughout the clearest evidence of demonstration.

(i) "But these are written" Lk 1:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 That ye might believe - What is here recorded is to give a full proof of the Divinity of Christ; that he is the promised Messiah; that he really suffered and rose again from the dead; and that through him every believer might have eternal life. Life - Several MSS., versions, and fathers read eternal life, and this is undoubtedly the meaning of the word, whether the various reading be admitted or not. Grotius has conjectured that the Gospel, as written by St. John, ended with this chapter, and that the following chapter was added by the Church of Ephesus. This conjecture is supported by nothing in antiquity. It is possible that these two last verses might have formerly been at the conclusion of the last chapter, as they bear a very great similarity to those that are found there; and it is likely that their true place is between the 24th and 25th verses of the succeeding chapter; with the latter of which they in every respect correspond, and with it form a proper conclusion to the book. Except this correspondence, there is no authority for changing their present position. After reading the Gospel of John, his first Epistle should be next taken up: it is written exactly in the same spirit, and keeps the same object steadily in view. As John's Gospel may be considered a supplement to the other evangelists, so his first Epistle may be considered a supplement and continuation to his own Gospel. In some MSS. the epistles follow this Gospel, not merely because the transcribers wished to have all the works of the same writer together, but because there was such an evident connection between them. The first Epistle is to the Gospel as a pointed and forcible application is to an interesting and impressive sermon.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 20:30-31

There were other signs and proofs of our Lord's resurrection, but these were committed to writing, that all might believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Saviour of sinners, and the Son of God; that, by this faith, they might obtain eternal life, by his mercy, truth, and power. May we believe that Jesus is the Christ, and believing may we have life through his name.

Read the full comment on John 20:30-31 →

John 20:31 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.

ταῦταtautatheseG3778
δὲdehoweverG1161
γέγραπταιgegraptaihave been writtenG1125
ἵναinathatG2443
πιστεύσητεpisteusēteyou may believeG4100
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἐστινestinisG1510
ὁhotheG3588
χριστὸςchristosChristG5547
ὁhotheG3588
υἱὸςhuiosSonG5207
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
καὶkaiandG2532
ἵναinathatG2443
πιστεύοντεςpisteuontesbelievingG4100
ζωὴνzōēnlifeG2222
ἔχητεechēteyou may haveG2192
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ὀνόματιonomatinameG3686
αὐτοῦ.¶autouof Him.G846

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

Cross references for John 20:31

  • Acts 10:43

    To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

  • John 3:15-16

    That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  • 1 John 5:1

    Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

  • 1 John 4:15

    Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

  • John 3:36

    He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

  • 1 John 5:20

    And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

  • 1 John 5:10-13

    He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

  • John 6:40

    And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

  • Acts 13:38-39

    Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

  • John 3:18

    He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

  • 2 John 1:9

    Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

  • John 20:28

    And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
these.
28; 1:49; 6:69,70; 9:35-38; Ps 2:7,12; Mt 16:16; 27:54; Lu 1:4
Ac 8:37; 9:20; Ro 1:3,4; 1Jo 4:15; 5:1,10,20; 2Jo 1:9; Re 2:18
believing.
3:15,16,18,36; 5:24,39,40; 6:40; 10:10; Mr 16:16; 1Pe 1:9
1Jo 2:23-25; 5:10-13
through.
Lu 24:47; Ac 3:16; 10:43; 13:38,39

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

Context

  • John 20:30

    And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

  • John 20:31

    But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Read all of John 20

John 20:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Estas empero son escritas, para que creáis que Jesús es el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios; y para que creyendo, tengáis vida en su nombre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais ces choses sont écrites afin que vous croyiez que Jésus est le Christ, le Fils de Dieu, et qu’en croyant vous ayez la vie par son nom.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Diese aber sind geschrieben, auf daß ihr glaubet, daß Jesus der Christus ist, der Sohn Gottes, und auf daß ihr glaubend Leben habet in seinem Namen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc autem scripta sunt ut credatis, quia Jesus est Christus Filius Dei: et ut credentes, vitam habeatis in nomine ejus.