Ἰωάννην 5:36

Greek Modern Translation

Αλλ' εγω εχω την μαρτυριαν μεγαλητεραν της του Ιωαννου· διοτι τα εργα, τα οποια μοι εδωκεν ο Πατηρ δια να τελειωσω αυτα, αυτα τα εργα, τα οποια εγω πραττω, μαρτυρουσι περι εμου οτι ο Πατηρ με απεστειλε·

Parallel Translations

Byzantine/Majority Text
εγω δε εχω την μαρτυριαν μειζω του ιωαννου τα γας εργα α εδωκεν μοι ο πατης ινα τελειωσω αυτα αυτα τα εργα α εγω ποιω μαρτυρει περι εμου οτι ο πατης με απεσταλκεν

SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
ἐγὼ δὲ ἔχω τὴν μαρτυρίαν ⸀μείζω τοῦ Ἰωάννου, τὰ γὰρ ἔργα ἃ ⸀δέδωκέν μοι ὁ πατὴρ ἵνα τελειώσω αὐτά, αὐτὰ τὰ ἔργα ⸀ἃ ποιῶ, μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ ὅτι ὁ πατήρ με ἀπέσταλκεν,

Tischendorf 8th Edition
ἐγὼ δὲ ἔχω τὴν μαρτυρίαν μείζω τοῦ Ἰωάννου· τὰ γὰρ ἔργα ἃ δέδωκέν μοι ὁ πατὴρ ἵνα τελειώσω αὐτά, αὐτὰ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιῶ μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ ὅτι ὁ πατήρ με ἀπέσταλκεν.

Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
εγω δε εχω την μαρτυριαν μειζω του ιωαννου τα γας εργα α εδωκεν μοι ο πατης ινα τελειωσω αυτα αυτα τα εργα α εγω ποιω μαρτυρει περι εμου οτι ο πατης με απεσταλκεν

Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
εγω δε εχω την μαρτυριαν μειζω του ιωαννου τα γαρ εργα α δεδωκεν μοι ο πατηρ ινα τελειωσω αυτα αυτα τα εργα α ποιω μαρτυρει περι εμου οτι ο πατηρ με απεσταλκεν

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have: John 5:32, 1 John 5:9, 1 John 5:11, 1 John 5:12

the works: John 3:2, John 9:30-33, John 10:25, John 10:37, John 10:38, John 11:37, John 14:10, John 14:11, John 15:24, John 17:4, Acts 2:22, Matthew 11:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 4:5 - That they Numbers 16:28 - Hereby Zechariah 4:9 - and Matthew 11:5 - blind John 4:34 - and John 5:39 - they which John 6:27 - for him John 9:4 - must John 9:16 - This man John 10:32 - Many John 10:36 - sent John 17:3 - and Jesus 2 Peter 1:17 - God 1 John 2:1 - Father 1 John 4:14 - the Father

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But I have greater witness than that of John,.... The Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions read, "greater than John", but wrongly; for the testimonies of Christ's works, and of his Father, are not compared with John himself, but with his testimony; and the sense is, that Christ had a greater witness than the witness of John; and so it is expressed in the Persic version: and his meaning is, that he had no need to insist upon John's testimony; he had other, and greater witnesses to produce:

for the works which the Father hath given me to finish; such as the preaching of the Gospel, the fulfilling of the law, and the redemption of his people; all which were appointed by his Father, and given him to do, and which he completely finished. The whole Gospel came, and was published by Jesus Christ, and the law was entirely fulfilled by him; and the work of man's salvation was finished by him, and these bear witness to the truth of his deity, and divine sonship; for none but the Son of God could have done these things. The Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "this work which my Father hath given me", c. and if it was a single work that is referred to, the work of redemption bids fair to be it. But, these works include not only what Christ did on earth, in his state of humiliation, but what he has done since, and will do which his Father has given him to finish, and he has finished, or will finish them; such as the resurrection of himself from the dead, the effusion of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, the spreading and succeeding his Gospel in the world, the conversion of his redeemed ones, the gathering in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, the destruction of antichrist, the resurrection of all the dead, and the judgment of the whole world. Though more especially his miracles are here intended, and which, and not his mediatorial works, were demonstrations and proofs to men of his divine sonship; see Matthew 14:33;

the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me; and that he was in the Father, and the Father in him; or that they were one in nature, and equal in power and glory,

John 10:30.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Greater witness - Stronger, more decisive evidence.

The works - The miracles - healing the sick and raising the dead.

Hath given me - Hath committed to me, or appointed me to do. Certain things he intrusted in his hands to accomplish.

To finish - To do or to perform until the task is completed. The word is applied to the “termination” of anything, as we say a task is “ended” or a work is completed. So Jesus said, when he expired, It is “finished” John 19:30. From this it appears that Jesus came to “accomplish” a certain work; and hence we see the reason why he so often guarded his life and sought his safety until the task was fully completed. These works or miracles bore witness of him; that is, they showed that he was sent from God, because none but God could perform them, and because God would not give such power to any whose life and doctrines he did not approve. They were more decisive proof than the testimony of John, because:

1. John worked no miracles, John 10:41.
2. It was possible that a man might be deceived or be an impostor. It was not possible for God to deceive.
3. The miracles which Jesus performed were such as no human being could work, and no angel. He that could raise the dead must have all power, and he who commissioned Jesus, therefore, must be God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 36. But I have greater witness — However decisive the judgment of such a man as John may be, who was the lamp of Israel, a miracle of grace, filled with the spirit of Elijah, and more than any prophet, because he pointed out, not the Messiah who was to come, but the Messiah who was already come: nevertheless, I am not obliged to depend on his testimony alone; for I have a greater one, that of Him whom you acknowledge to be your God. And how do I prove that this God bears testimony to me? By my works: these miracles, which attest my mission, and prove by themselves that nothing less than unlimited power and boundless love could ever produce them. By my word only, I have perfectly and instantly healed a man who was diseased thirty and eight years. Ye see the miracle-the man is before you whole and sound. Why then do ye not believe in my mission, that ye may embrace my doctrine, and be saved?