John 4 · Verse 49

John 4:49

The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
John 4:49, King James Version

John 4:49 in other translations

BSB“Sir,” the official said, “come down before my child dies.”
WEBThe nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
ASVThe nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
YLTThe courtier saith unto him, ‘Sir, come down before my child die;'
DARBYThe courtier says to him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
BBEThe man said, Sir, come down before my boy is dead.
WebsterThe nobleman saith to him, Sir, come down ere my child dieth.

What does John 4:49 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 4:48-54

48-54. Except ye see signs, &c.--He did believe, both as his coming and his urgent entreaty show; but how imperfectly we shall see; and our Lord would deepen his faith by such a blunt and seemingly rough answer as He made to Nicodemus.

Read the full comment on John 4:48-54 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 49. Come down, &c. The earnestness of the nobleman evinces the deep and tender anxiety of a father. So anxious was he for his son that he was not willing that Jesus should delay a moment --not even to address the people. He still seems to have supposed that Jesus had no power to heal his son except he was present with him.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 49 Sir, come down, etc. - He did not think our Lord could cure him without being present, and seems here to feel himself hurt, because our Lord did not come at his first entreaty. It is difficult for a proud man, or a man in office, to humble himself, or to treat even God Almighty with proper respect. The spirit of this man seems not much unlike to that of Naaman the Syrian, 2Kgs 5:11.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 4:43-54

The father was a nobleman, yet the son was sick. Honours and titles are no security from sickness and death. The greatest men must go themselves to God, must become beggars. The nobleman did not stop from his request till he prevailed. But at first he discovered the weakness of his faith in the power of Christ. It is hard to persuade ourselves that distance of time and place, are no hinderance to the knowledge…

Read the full comment on John 4:43-54 →

John 4:49 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.

λέγειlegeiSaysG3004
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλικός·basilikosroyal official;G937
κύριε,kurieSir,G2962
κατάβηθιkatabēthido come downG2597
πρὶνprinbeforeG4250
ἀποθανεῖνapothaneinto dieG599
τὸtotheG3588
παιδίονpaidionchildG3813
μου.¶mouof mine.G3165

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

Cross references for John 4:49

  • Mark 5:23

    And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

  • Mark 5:35-36

    While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

  • Psalms 88:10-12

    Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

  • Psalms 40:17

    But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
come.
Ps 40:17; 88:10-12; Mr 5:23,35,36

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

Context

  • John 4:48

    Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

  • John 4:49

    The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

  • John 4:50

    Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Read all of John 4

John 4:49 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El del rey le dijo: Señor, desciende antes que mi hijo muera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Le seigneur de la cour lui dit: Seigneur, descends avant que mon enfant meure.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der königliche Beamte spricht zu ihm: Herr, komm herab, ehe mein Kind stirbt!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicit ad eum regulus: Domine, descende priusquam moriatur filius meus.