Ἰωάννην 3:33

Greek Modern Translation

Οστις δεχθη την μαρτυριαν αυτου επεσφραγισεν οτι ο Θεος ειναι αληθης.

Parallel Translations

SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
ὁ λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἀληθής ἐστιν.

Tischendorf 8th Edition
ὁ λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἀληθής ἐστιν.

Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν

Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν

Byzantine/Majority Text
ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hath set: Romans 3:3, Romans 3:4, Romans 4:18-21, 2 Corinthians 1:18, Titus 1:1, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:17, 1 John 5:9, 1 John 5:10

Reciprocal: Psalms 19:7 - testimony Psalms 81:8 - Hear Proverbs 4:10 - my Isaiah 8:16 - the testimony Jeremiah 32:10 - and sealed John 3:32 - and no John 7:28 - is true John 17:8 - received 1 Thessalonians 5:24 - Faithful

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that hath received his testimony,.... For there was here and there one that did, who believed in him as the Messiah, and embraced his Gospel, and submitted to his ordinances, and truly and sincerely followed him: and for the encouragement of such, it is said,

hath set to his seal that God is true; faithful in fulfilling the promises he has made concerning the Messiah, and his coming: he firmly believes that God is true to every word of his, and will make good every promise; and this he seals, ratifies, and confirms by his embracing the testimony of Christ; whereas, on the contrary, he that believes not makes God a liar, than which, nothing can be more reproachful to him, 1 John 5:10. The Jews have a saying z that "the seal of the blessed God is truth". The Arabic version renders it, "he is already sealed, because God is true"; and the Ethiopic version, "God hath sealed him, because he is true"; namely, with his holy Spirit; see 2 Corinthians 1:22.

z T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 1. & T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 64. 1. & Yoma, fol. 69. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He that hath received his testimony - Hath received and fully believed his doctrine. Hath yielded his heart to its influence.

Hath set to his seal - To “seal” an instrument is to make it sure; to acknowledge it as ours; to pledge our varacity that it is true and binding, as when a man seals a bond, a deed, or a will. Believing a doctrine, therefore, in the heart, is expressed by “sealing it,” or by believing it we express our firm conviction that it is true, and that God who has spoken it is true. We vouch for the veracity of God, and assume as our own the proposition that it is the truth of God.

God is true - Is faithful; is the author of the system of doctrines, and will fulfill all that he has promised. We learn here:

1.That to be a true believer is something more than to hold a mere speculative belief of the truth.

2.That to be a believer is to “pledge ourselves” for the truth, to seal it as our own, to adopt it, to choose it, and solemnly assent to it, as a man does in regard to an instrument of writing that is to convey his property, or that is to dispose of it when he dies.

1. Every Christian is a witness for God, and it is his business to show by his life that he believes that God is true to his threatenings and to his promises. See the notes at Isaiah 43:10.
2. It is a solemn act to become a Christian. It is a surrender of all to God, or giving away body, soul, and spirit to him, with a belief that he is true, and alone is able to save.
3. The man that does not do this - that is not willing to pledge his belief that God is true, sets to his seal that God is a liar and unworthy of confidence,1 John 5:10; 1 John 5:10.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 33. Hath set to his seal — That is hath hereby confirmed the truth of the testimony which he has borne; as a testator sets his seal to an instrument in order to confirm it, and such instrument is considered as fully confirmed by having the testator's seal affixed to it, so I, by taking up this testimony of Christ, and proclaiming it to the Jews, have fully confirmed it, as I know it to be a truth; which knowledge I have from the immediate inspiration of the Holy Spirit. See John 1:33-34.