John 5 · Verse 25

John 5:25

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

John 5:25, King James Version

John 5:25 in other translations

BSB	Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
WEB	Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live.
ASV	Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.
YLT	‘Verily, verily, I say to you--There cometh an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live;
DARBY	Verily, verily, I say unto you, that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that have heard shall live.
BBE	Truly I say to you, The time is coming, it has even now come, when the voice of the Son of God will come to the ears of the dead, and those hearing it will have life.
Webster	Verily, verily, I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

What does John 5:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 5:25-29

25-29. The hour cometh--in its whole fulness, at Pentecost. and now is--in its beginnings. the dead--the spiritually dead, as is clear from Joh 5:28. Here He rises from the calmer phrase "hearing his word" (Joh 5:24), to the grander expression, "hearing the voice of the Son of God," to signify that as it finds men in a dead condition, so it carries with it a resurrection-power. shall live--in the sense of Joh 5:24.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 25. The hour. The time.

Is coming. Under the preaching of the gospel, as well as in the resurrection of the dead.

Now is. It is now taking place. Sinners were converted under his ministry and brought to spiritual life.

The dead. Either the dead in sins, or those that are in their graves. The words of the Saviour will apply to either. Language, in the Scriptures, is often so used as to describe two similar events. Thus the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world are described by Jesus in the same language, Matthew 24 and 25. The return of the Jews from Babylon, and the coming of the Messiah, and the spread of his gospel, are described in the same language by Isaiah, Isaiah 40-41. Comp. Is 7:14. The renewal of the heart, and the raising of the dead at the judgment, are here also described in similar language, because they so far resemble each other that the same language will apply to both.

The voice of the Son of God. The voice is that by which we give command. Jesus raised up the dead by his command, or by his authority. When he did it he spoke, or, commanded it to be done. Mk 5:41, "He took the damsel by the hand, and said, `Talitha cumi.'" Lk 7:14: "And he came and touched the bier, and said, `Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.'" Jn 11:43: "He cried with a loud voice, `Lazarus, come forth.'" So it is by his command that those who are dead in sins are quickened or made alive, Jn 5:21. And so at the day of judgment the dead will be raised by his command or voice, though there is no reason to think that his voice will be audibly heard, Jn 5:28.

Shall live. Shall be restored to life.

(w) "the dead shall hear" Jn 5:28, Eph 2:1.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 25 The dead shall hear the voice - Three kinds of death are mentioned in the Scriptures: natural, spiritual, and eternal. The first consists in the separation of the body and soul. The second in the separation of God and the soul. The third in the separation of body and soul from God in the other world. Answerable to these three kinds of death, there is a threefold life: Natural life, which consists in the union of the soul and body. Spiritual life, which consists in the union of God and the soul, by faith and love. Eternal life, which consist in the communion of the body and soul with God, by holiness, in the realms of bliss. Of the dead, our Lord says, the hour is coming, and now is, when they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. The hour is coming, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake at the voice of the Son of man, and come to judgment: for he giveth life to the dead, Joh 5:21, Joh 5:28, Joh 5:29. Again, the hour is coming, when some of those who have died a natural death shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live again here. It is likely that our Lord had not as yet raised any from the dead; and he refers to those whom he intended to raise: see on Joh 5:21 (note). Lastly, the hour now is, when many who are dead in trespasses and sins, shall hear the voice (the word) of the Son of God, believe, and receive spiritual life through him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 5:24-29

Our Lord declared his authority and character, as the Messiah. The time was come when the dead should hear his voice, as the Son of God, and live. Our Lord first refers to his raising those who were dead in sin, to newness of life, by the power of the Spirit, and then to his raising the dead in their graves. The office of Judge of all men, can only be exercised by one who has all knowledge, and almighty power. May…

Read the full comment on John 5:24-29 →

John 5:25 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.

ἈμὴνAmēnAmenG281

ἀμὴνamēnAmenG281

λέγωlegōI sayG3004

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

ὅτιhotithatG3754

ἔρχεταιerchetaiis comingG2064

ὥραhōraan hourG5610

καὶkaiandG2532

νῦνnunnowG3568

ἐστινestinisG1510

ὅτεhotewhenG3753

οἱhoitheG3588

νεκροὶnekroideadG3498

ἀκούσουσινakousousinwill hearG191

τῆςtēstheG3588

φωνῆςphōnēsvoiceG5456

τοῦtouof theG3588

υἱοῦhuiouSonG5207

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

καὶkaiandG2532

οἱhoithoseG3588

ἀκούσαντεςakousanteshaving heardG191

ζήσουσιν.¶zēsousinwill live.G2198

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

Cross references for John 5:25

John 5:28
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
John 4:23
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Colossians 2:13
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
John 8:47
He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Romans 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Revelation 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
John 8:43
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
John 5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Luke 9:60
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

The hour.
4:23; 13:1; 17:1
when.
21,28; Lu 9:60; 15:24,32; Ro 6:4; Eph 2:1,5; 5:14; Col 2:13; Re 3:1

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

Context

John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 5:25
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
John 5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

Read all of John 5

John 5:25 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	De cierto, de cierto os digo: Vendrá hora, y ahora es, cuando los muertos oirán la voz del Hijo de Dios: y los que oyeren vivirán.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	En vérité, en vérité, je vous dis que l’heure vient, et elle est maintenant, que les morts entendront la voix du Fils de Dieu, et ceux qui l’auront entendue vivront.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, daß die Stunde kommt und jetzt ist, da die Toten die Stimme des Sohnes Gottes hören werden, und die sie gehört haben, werden leben.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Amen, amen dico vobis, quia venit hora, et nunc est, quando mortui audient vocem Filii Dei: et qui audierint, vivent.