John 1:51

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And he saith unto him - Verily, verily, I say unto you: Ye shall see heaven - when set open, and, the messengers of God, ascending and descending unto the Son of Man.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Then he said, "Believe me when I say that you will all see heaven open. You will see ‘angels of God going up and coming down' on the Son of Man."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde vnto him: Verely verely I saye vnto you: herafter shall ye se heven open and the angels of God ascendynge and descendynge over the sonne of man.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to him, "Most assuredly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

International Standard Version
Then he said to him, "Truly, truly I tell all of you,you (pl.)">[fn] you will see heaven standing open and the angels of God going up and coming down to the Son of Man."Genesis 28:12; Matthew 4:11; Luke 2:9,13; 22:43; 24:4; Acts 1:10;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

New Century Version
And Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and ‘angels of God going up and coming down' on the Son of Man."

Update Bible Version
And he says to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, You shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he saith to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

English Standard Version
And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

World English Bible
He said to him, "Most assuredly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Verily, verily I say to you, Hereafter ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.

Weymouth's New Testament
"I tell you all in most solemn truth," He added, "that you shall see Heaven opened wide, and God's angels going up, and coming down to the Son of Man."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, Treuli, treuli, Y seie to you, ye schulen se heuene opened, and the aungels of God stiynge vp and comynge doun on mannys sone.

English Revised Version
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Berean Standard Bible
Then He declared, "Truly, truly, I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Contemporary English Version
I tell you for certain that you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

Amplified Bible
Then He said to him, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man [the bridge between heaven and earth]."

American Standard Version
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to him, Truly I say to you all, You will see heaven opening and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of man.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then he said to him, "Yes indeed! I tell you that you will see heaven opened and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man!"

Darby Translation
And he says to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, Henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.

Etheridge Translation
He saith to him, Amen, amen, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of Aloha ascending and descending unto the Son of man.

Murdock Translation
He said to him: Verily, verily, I say to you, That hereafter ye will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending unto the Son of man.

King James Version (1611)
And hee saith vnto him, Uerily, verily I say vnto you, heereafter yee shall see heauen open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending vpon the sonne of man.

New Living Translation
Then he said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."

New Life Bible
For sure, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and God's angels going up and coming and down on the Son of Man."

New Revised Standard
And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he saide vnto him, Verely, verely I say vnto you, hereafter shall yee see heauen open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending vpon that Sonne of man.

George Lamsa Translation
He said to him, Truly, truly, I say to all of you, that from now on you will see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he saith to him: Amen, amen, I say to you, you shall see the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Revised Standard Version
And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayth vnto hym: Ueryly, veryly I say vnto you, hereafter shall ye see heauen open, and the Angels of God ascendyng & descendyng vpon the sonne of man.

Good News Translation
And he said to them, "I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God

King James Version
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Lexham English Bible
And he said to him, "Truly, truly I say to all of you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Literal Translation
And He says to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, From now on you will see Heaven opened, and "the angels of God ascending and descending" on the Son of Man. Gen. 28:12

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to him, `Verily, verily, I say to you, henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the messengers of God going up and coming down upon the Son of Man.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde vnto him: Verely verely I saye vnto you: Fro this tyme forth shal ye se the heauen open, and the angels of God goinge vp & downe ouer the sonne of man.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and he said to him, I declare unto you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending, and descending upon the son of man.

New English Translation
He continued, "I tell all of you the solemn truth—you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

New King James Version
51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter [fn] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Simplified Cowboy Version

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Legacy Standard Bible
And He *said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Contextual Overview

⁴³ On the morrow, he desired to go forth into Galilee. And Jesus findeth Philip, and saith unto him - Be following me! ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip, findeth, Nathanael, and saith unto him - Him, of whom wrote Moses in the law, and the Prophets, have we found. - Jesus, son of Joseph, him from Nazareth! ⁴⁶ And Nathanael said unto him - Out of Nazareth, can any good thing come? Philip saith unto him - Come, and see! ⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming unto him, and saith concerning him - See! Truly, an Israelite, in whom is no guile. ⁴⁸ Nathanael saith unto him - Whence, dost thou, know, me? Jesus answered, and said unto him - Before Philip called thee, - when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. ⁴⁹ Nathanael answered him - Rabbi! thou, art, the Son of God: Thou, art, King, of Israel. ⁵⁰ Jesus answered, and said unto him - Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? A greater thing than these, shalt thou see! ⁵¹ And he saith unto him - Verily, verily, I say unto you: Ye shall see heaven - when set open, and, the messengers of God, ascending and descending unto the Son of Man.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Verily: John 3:3, John 3:5, John 5:19, John 5:24, John 5:25, John 6:26, John 6:32, John 6:47, John 6:53, John 8:34, John 8:51, John 8:58, John 10:1, John 10:7, John 12:24, John 13:16, John 13:20, John 13:21, John 13:38, John 14:12, John 16:20, John 16:23, John 21:18

Hereafter: Ezekiel 1:1, Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21, Acts 7:56, Acts 10:11, Revelation 4:1, Revelation 19:11

and the: Genesis 28:12, Daniel 7:9, Daniel 7:10, Matthew 4:11, Luke 2:9, Luke 2:13, Luke 22:43, Luke 24:4, Acts 1:10, Acts 1:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:14, Jude 1:14

the Son: John 3:13, John 3:14, John 5:27, John 12:23, John 12:24, Daniel 7:13, Daniel 7:14, Zechariah 13:7, Matthew 9:6, Matthew 16:13-16, Matthew 16:27, Matthew 16:28, Matthew 25:31, Matthew 26:24, Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69

Reciprocal: Exodus 25:20 - toward Exodus 37:9 - cherubims spread Matthew 5:18 - verily Matthew 18:3 - Verily Matthew 26:64 - Hereafter Mark 8:38 - when Mark 14:18 - Verily

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he saith unto him, verily, verily, I say unto you,.... Not only to Nathanael, but to the rest of the disciples that were then with him; and to show himself to be the "Amen", and faithful witness, as well as more strongly to asseverate what he was about to say, he doubles the expression:

hereafter you shall see heaven open; either in a literal sense, as it had been at his baptism; or, in a mystical sense, that there should be a clearer manifestation of heavenly truths made by his ministry; and that the way into the holiest of all should be made more manifest; and a more familiar intercourse he opened between God and his people; and also between angels and saints:

and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man; or to the son of man, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it; meaning himself in human nature; the second Adam, and seed of the woman; and is expressive both of the truth, and infirmity of that nature. Reference may here be had to the ladder Jacob dreamed of, in Genesis 28:12, which was a representation of Christ, in his person, as God-man; who, as God, was in heaven, whilst he, as man, was on earth; and in his office, as Mediator between God and man, making peace between them both; and in the ministration of angels to him in person, and to his body the church. And it is observable, that some of the Jewish writers y understand the ascent, and descent of the angels, in Genesis 28:12, to be, not upon the ladder, but upon Jacob; which makes the phrase there still more agreeable to this; and so they render עליו, in Genesis 28:13, not "above it", but "above him". Or the, sense is, that there would be immediately made such clearer discoveries of his person, and grace by his ministry, and such miracles would be wrought by him in confirmation of it, that it would look as if heaven was open, and the angels of God were continually going to and fro, and bringing fresh messages, and performing miraculous operations; as if the whole host of them were constantly employed in such services: and this the rather seems to be the sense, since the next account we have, is, of the beginning of Christ's miracles to manifest forth his glory in Cana of Galilee, where Nathanael lived; and since the word, rendered "hereafter", signifies, "from henceforward"; or, as the Persic version renders it, "from this hour"; though the word is left out in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions.

y Bereshit Rabba, sect. 68. fol. 61. 2. & sect. 69. fol. 61. 3, 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Verily, verily - In the Greek, “Amen, amen.” The word “amen” means “truly, certainly, so be it” - from the Hebrew verb to confirm, to establish, to be true. It is often used in this gospel. When repeated it expresses the speaker’s sense of the importance of what he is saying, and the “certainty” that it is as he affirms.

Ye shall see - Not, perhaps, with the bodily eyes, but you shall have “evidence” that it is so. The thing shall take place, and you shall be a witness of it.

Heaven open - This is a figurative expression, denoting “the conferring of favors.” Psalms 78:23-24; “he opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna.” It also denotes that God was about to work a miracle in attestation of a particular thing. See Matthew 3:16. In the language, here, there is an evident allusion to the ladder that Jacob saw in a dream, and to the angels ascending and descending on it, Genesis 28:12. It is not probable that Jesus referred to any particular instance in which Nathanael should literally see the heavens opened. The baptism of Jesus had taken place, and no other instance occurred in his life in which it is said that the “heavens were” opened.

Angels of God - Those pure and holy beings that dwell in heaven, and that are employed as ministering spirits to our world, Hebrews 1:14. Good men are represented in the Scriptures as being under their protection, Psalms 91:11-12; Genesis 28:12. They are the agents by which God often expressed his will to men, Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:19. They are represented as strengthening the Lord Jesus, and ministering unto him. Thus they aided him in the wilderness Mark 1:13, and in the garden Luke 22:43, and they were present when he rose from the dead, Matthew 28:2-4; John 20:12-13. By their ascending and descending upon him it is probable that he meant that Nathanael would have evidence that they came to his aid, and that he would have “the” kind of protection and assistance from God which would show “more fully that he was the Messiah.” Thus his life, his many deliverances from dangers, his wisdom to confute his skilled and cunning adversaries, the scenes of his death, and the attendance of angels at his resurrection, may all be represented by the angels descending upon him, and all would show to Nathanael and the other disciples most clearly that he was the Son of God.

The Son of man - A term by which lie often describes himself. It shows his humility, his love for man, his willingness to be esteemed “as a man,” Philippians 2:6-7.

From this interview with Nathanael we may learn:

1.That Jesus searches the heart.

2.That he was truly the Messiah.

3.That he was under the protection of God.

4.That if we have faith in Jesus, it will be continually strengthened the evidence will grow brighter and brighter.

5.That if we believe his word, we shall yet see full proof that his word is true.

1. Since Jesus was under the protection of God, so all his friends will be. God will defend and save us also if we put our trust in Him.
2. Jesus applied terms expressive of humility to himself. He was not solicitous even to be called by titles which he might claim.

So we should not be ambitious of titles and honors. Ministers of the gospel most resemble him when they seek for the fewest titles, and do not aim at distinctions from each other or their brethren. See the notes at Matthew 23:8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 1:51. Verily, verily — Amen, amen. The doubling of this word probably came from this circumstance: that it was written both in Hebrew אמן and in Greek αμην, signifying, it is true.

Heaven open — This seems to be a figurative expression:

1. Christ may be understood by this saying to mean, that a clear and abundant revelation of God's will should be now made unto men; that heaven itself should be laid as it were open, and all the mysteries which had been shut up and hidden in it from eternity, relative to the salvation and glorification of man; should be now fully revealed.

2. That by the angels of God ascending and descending, is to be understood, that a perpetual intercourse should now be opened between heaven and earth, through the medium of Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh. Our blessed Lord is represented in his mediatorial capacity as the ambassador of God to men; and the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man, is a metaphor taken from the custom of despatching couriers or messengers from the prince to his ambassador in a foreign court, and from the ambassador back to the prince.

This metaphor will receive considerable light when compared with 2 Corinthians 5:19-20: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself:- We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. The whole concerns of human salvation shall be carried on, from henceforth, through the Son of man; and an incessant intercourse be established between heaven and earth. Some have illustrated this passage by the account of Jacob's vision, Genesis 28:12. But though that vision may intimate that God had established at that time a communication between heaven and earth, through the medium of angels, yet it does not appear that our Lord's saying here has any reference to it; but that it should be understood as stated above.

What a glorious view does this give us of the Gospel dispensation! It is heaven opened to earth; and heaven opened on earth. The Church militant and the Church triumphant become one, and the whole heavenly family, in both, see and adore their common Lord. Neither the world nor the Church is left to the caprices of time or chance. The Son of man governs as he upholds all. Wherever we are praying, studying, hearing, meditating, his gracious eye is upon us. He notes our wants, our weakness, and our petitions; and his eye affects his heart. Let us be without guile, deeply, habitually sincere, serious, and upright; and then we may rest assured, that not only the eye, but the hand, of our Lord shall be ever upon us for good. Happy the man whose heart can rejoice in the reflection, Thou God seest me!