John 6 · Verse 38

John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 6:38, King James Version

John 6:38 in other translations

BSBFor I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
WEBFor I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
ASVFor I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
YLTbecause I have come down out of the heaven, not that I may do my will, but the will of Him who sent me.
DARBYFor I am come down from heaven, not that I should do my will, but the will of him that has sent me.
BBEFor I have come down from heaven, not to do my pleasure, but the pleasure of him who sent me.
WebsterFor I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

What does John 6:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 6:37-40

37-40. All that, &c.--This comprehensive and very grand passage is expressed with a peculiar artistic precision. The opening general statement (Joh 6:37) consists of two members: (1) "All that the Father Giveth me shall come to me"--that is, "Though ye, as I told you, have no faith in Me, My errand into the world shall in no wise be defeated; for all that the Father giveth Me shall infallibly come to Me." Observe…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 38. For I came down, &c. This verse shows that he came for a specific purpose, which he states in the next verse, and means that, as he came to do his Father's will, he would be faithful to the trust. Though his hearers should reject him, yet the will of God would be accomplished in the salvation of some who should come to him.

Mine own will. Jn 5:30.

(x) "but the will" Ps 40:7, Jn 5:30

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 Not to do mine own will - I am come, not to act according to human motives, passions, or prejudices; but according to infinite wisdom, goodness, and mercy. Jewish passions and prejudices would reject publicans and sinners as those alluded to, and shut the gate of heaven against the Gentiles; but God's mercy receives them, and I am come to manifest that mercy to men.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 6:36-46

The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come, and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were given to the Son, should be rejected or lost by him. No one will come, till Divine grace has subdued, and in part changed his heart; therefore no one who comes will ever be…

Read the full comment on John 6:36-46 →

John 6:38 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.

ὅτιhotiForG3754
καταβέβηκαkatabebēkaI have come downG2597
ἀπὸapofromG575
τοῦtou<the>G3588
οὐρανοῦouranouheavenG3772
οὐχouchnotG3756
ἵναinathatG2443
ποιῶpoiōI may doG4160
τὸtotheG3588
θέλημαthelēmawillG2307
τὸto<the>G3588
ἐμὸνemonof MeG1473
ἀλλὰallabutG235
τὸtotheG3588
θέλημαthelēmawillG2307
τοῦtouof the [One who]G3588
πέμψαντόςpempsantoshaving sentG3992
με.meMe.G3165

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

Cross references for John 6:38

  • John 5:30

    I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

  • John 4:34

    Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

  • John 3:31

    He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

  • Philippians 2:7-8

    But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

  • Psalms 40:7-8

    Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

  • John 6:33

    For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

  • Isaiah 53:10

    Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

  • John 3:13

    And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

  • Matthew 26:39-42

    And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

  • Hebrews 10:7-9

    Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

  • Hebrews 5:8

    Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

  • Romans 15:3

    For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I came.
33; 3:13,31; Eph 4:9
not.
4:34; 5:30; Ps 40:7,8; Isa 53:10; Mt 20:28; 26:39-42; Ro 15:3
Php 2:7,8; Heb 5:8; 10:7-9

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

Context

  • John 6:37

    All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

  • John 6:38

    For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

  • John 6:39

    And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Read all of John 6

John 6:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Porque he descendido del cielo, no para hacer mi voluntad, mas la voluntad del que me envió.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
car je suis descendu du ciel, non pour faire ma volonté, mais la volonté de celui qui m’a envoyé.
German
Elberfelder 1871
denn ich bin vom Himmel herniedergekommen, nicht auf daß ich meinen Willen tue, sondern den Willen dessen, der mich gesandt hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
quia descendi de cælo, non ut faciam voluntatem meam, sed voluntatem ejus qui misit me.