Jesus the Light of the World
John 8:12
Related notes on contested verses
The woman caught in adultery: part of John? (John 7:53–8:11)
In 9 translations
- BSB
- Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- KJV
- ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
- WEB
- Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- ASV
- Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
- LSV
- Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I AM the light of the world; he who is following Me will not walk in the darkness, but he will have the light of life.”
- YLT
- Again, therefore, Jesus spake to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who is following me shall not walk in the darkness, but he shall have the light of the life.'
- DBY
- Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
- DRC
- Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
- GNV
- Then spake Iesus againe vnto them, saying, I am that light of the worlde: hee that followeth mee, shall not walke in darkenes, but shall haue that light of life.
Word by word Greek · tap a word
Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Greek has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.
Where the editions differ
Editions are published forms of the Hebrew and Greek texts. Meet the editions and sources →
- NA28, NA27, Tyndale House, SBLGNT (2010), Westcott–Hort, Tregelles, Byzantine text read περιπατήσῃ (“may walk”); Textus Receptus read περιπατήσει (“will walk”).
Spelling, punctuation and minor wording (3)
- Word order: Textus Receptus place αὐτοῖς elsewhere in this verse.
- Word order: Textus Receptus, Byzantine text place ἐλάλησεν elsewhere in this verse.
- Spelling of ἐμοὶ: Westcott–Hort, Tregelles: μοι.
SBLGNT apparatus (2)
A comparison of published Greek editions. “Add” means after the SBLGNT wording; “omit” refers to that wording.
- SBLGNT: ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Westcott and Hort (1881), Tregelles, Nestle–Aland 28th edition read ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς; Robinson–Pierpont read ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησεν.
- SBLGNT: ἐμοὶ. Nestle–Aland 28th edition, Robinson–Pierpont read ἐμοὶ; Westcott and Hort (1881), Tregelles read μοι.
Copyright 2010 by the Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software. CC BY 4.0.
Edition differences: STEP Bible, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0). Names and codes expanded; consecutive words grouped. Comparisons follow the editions used by the source; see version details.
Original-language editions
- SBLGNT
- Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ὁ ἀκολουθῶν ἐμοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλʼ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς.
- RP2018
- Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησεν λέγων, Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ὁ ἀκολουθῶν ἐμοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλ’ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς.
- TR-Boyd
- Πάλιν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησε λέγων, Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ὁ ἀκολουθῶν ἐμοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσει ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλ᾿ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς.
- SCR1894
- παλιν ουν ο ιησους αυτοις ελαλησεν λεγων εγω ειμι το φως του κοσμου ο ακολουθων εμοι ου μη περιπατησει εν τη σκοτια αλλ εξει το φως της ζωης
Who and where
👤 Jesus Christ◆ Light of the World/I am discourse
People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.
In the reference works topics that cite this verse
LightTabernacles, the Feast ofCandlestickLiterature, Sub-ApostolicLogosText and Manuscripts of the New TestamentDarknessBlindness, SpiritualWorld, CosmologicalTypes of Christ
From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).
Cross-references most cited first
- John 12:46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 9:5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- Matthew 5:14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- Job 33:28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
- John 1:4–9In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. He came as a witness to testify…
- Psalms 18:28For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.
- John 3:19And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
- Isaiah 9:2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
- Isaiah 60:1–3Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear…
- 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
- Isaiah 42:6–7“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to…
- Luke 1:78–79because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
- Psalms 97:11Light shines on the righteous, gladness on the upright in heart.
- Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
- Matthew 4:14–16to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on…
From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).