John 6 · Verse 70

John 6:70

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
John 6:70, King James Version

John 6:70 in other translations

BSBJesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
WEBJesus answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
ASVJesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?
YLTJesus answered them, ‘Did not I choose you--the twelve? and of you--one is a devil.
DARBYJesus answered them, Have not I chosen you the twelve? and of you one is a devil.
BBEThen Jesus said, Did I not make a selection of you, the twelve, and one of you is a son of the Evil One?
WebsterJesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

What does John 6:70 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 6:66-71

66-71. From that time, &c.--or, in consequence of this. Those last words of our Lord seemed to have given them the finishing stroke--they could not stand it any longer. walked no more--Many a journey, it may be, they had taken with Him, but now they gave Him up finally!

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 70. Have not I chosen you twelve? There is much emphasis in these words. Have not I--I, the Saviour, the Messiah, chosen you in mercy and in love, and therefore it will be a greater sin to betray me? Chosen. Chosen to the apostolic office; conferred on you marks of peculiar favour, and treason is therefore the greater sin. You twelve. So small a number. Out of such a multitude as follow for the loaves and fishes, it is to be expected there should be apostates; but when the number is so small, chosen in such a manner, then it becomes every one, however confident he. may be, to be on his guard and examine his heart.

Is a devil. Has the spirit, the envy, the malice, and the treasonable designs of a devil. The word devil here is used in the sense of an enemy, or one hostile to him.

(d) "a devil" Jn 13:27

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 70 Have not I chosen you twelve - Have I not, in an especial manner, called you to believe in my name, and chosen you to be my disciples and the propagators of my doctrine! Nevertheless, one of you is a devil, or accuser, enlisted on the side of Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 6:66-71

When we admit into our minds hard thoughts of the words and works of Jesus, we enter into temptation, which, if the Lord in mercy prevent not, will end in drawing back. The corrupt and wicked heart of man often makes that an occasion for offence, which is matter of the greatest comfort. Our Lord had, in the foregoing discourse, promised eternal life to his followers; the disciples fastened on that plain saying, and…

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John 6:70 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
αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846
ὁho<the>G3588
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
οὐκoukNotG3756
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
τοὺςtoustheG3588
δώδεκαdōdekaTwelveG1427
ἐξελεξάμην,exelexamēndid choose,G1586
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐξexofG1537
ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771
εἷςheisoneG1520
διάβολόςdiabolosa devilG1228
ἐστιν;estinis?G1510

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

Cross references for John 6:70

  • John 13:27

    And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

  • John 13:2

    And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

  • John 6:64

    But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

  • John 17:12

    While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

  • John 13:18

    I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

  • Revelation 3:9-10

    Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

  • John 13:21

    When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

  • John 15:16

    Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

  • John 15:19

    If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

  • Luke 6:13-16

    And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

  • Acts 1:17

    For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

  • 1 Timothy 3:11

    Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Have.
64; 13:18; 17:12; Mt 10:1-4; Lu 6:13-16; Ac 1:17
and one.
8:44; 13:2,21,27; Ac 13:10; 1Jo 3:8; Re 3:9,10
a devil.
1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3; *Gr:

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

Context

  • John 6:69

    And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

  • John 6:70

    Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

  • John 6:71

    He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Read all of John 6

John 6:70 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Jesús le respondió: ¿No he escogido yo á vosotros doce, y uno de vosotros es diablo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Jésus leur répondit: N’est-ce pas moi qui vous ai choisis, vous, les douze, et l’un d’entre vous est un diable?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Jesus antwortete ihnen: Habe ich nicht euch, die Zwölfe, auserwählt? und von euch ist einer ein Teufel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
et nos credidimus, et cognovimus quia tu es Christus Filius Dei.