The Meaning of John 21:25 Explained

John 21:25

KJV: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

YLT: And there are also many other things -- as many as Jesus did -- which, if they may be written one by one, not even the world itself I think to have place for the books written. Amen.

Darby: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they were written one by one, I suppose that not even the world itself would contain the books written.

ASV: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  there are  also  many  other things  which  Jesus  did,  the which,  if  they should be written  every  one,  I suppose  that even  the world  itself  could not  contain  the books  that should be written.  Amen. 

What does John 21:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This final verse, along with the one preceding it, returns to the broad perspective with which this Gospel began in its prologue ( John 1:1-18). The prologue presents the Word humbling Himself and entering the world in incarnation. This verse presents the world as not able to contain all the revelation that the Word made. John"s final word was that what he wrote, and what everyone else could write, would be only a small part of what could be written to bring honor to Jesus Christ.

Context Summary

Joh 21:20-25 - The Testimony Of A Beloved Follower
Having cautioned Peter, our Lord seems to have moved away, bidding Peter follow-a mandate intended to convey a deeper meaning. John followed some steps in the rear. Hearing footsteps, Peter turned and was seized with curiosity to see how far the future experiences of John and himself would agree. At once, without gratifying his curiosity, our Lord explained that the life-plan of His servants is determined by His will-If I will. It is equally certain that His arrangements for us are carefully adjusted to our nature, our special characteristics, and the service which we are best able to render. Peter was to be the Apostle of the tried and suffering. John was to behold and declare the apocalyptic vision of the Living Church. The one, contrary to his native disposition, wrote the Epistle of patient waiting; the other pictured the triumphant advent of the Son of God.
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Chapter Summary: Joh 21

1  Jesus appearing again to his disciples is known of them by the great catch of fish
12  He dines with them;
15  earnestly commands Peter to feed his lambs and sheep;
18  foretells him of his death;
22  rebukes his curiosity
24  The conclusion

Greek Commentary for John 21:25

If they should be written every one [εαν γραπηται κατ εν]
Condition of the third class with εαν — ean and present passive subjunctive of γραπω — graphō “If they should be written one by one” (in full detail). I suppose Note change back to the first person singular by the author. Would not contain Future active infinitive in indirect discourse after οιμαι — oimai This is, of course, natural hyperbole, but graphically pictures for us the vastness of the work and words of Jesus from which the author has made a small selection (John 20:30.) and by which he has produced what is, all things considered, the greatest of all the books produced by man, the eternal gospel from the eagle who soars to the very heavens and gives us a glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 21:25

Matthew 11:21 Chorazin [Χοραζειν]
Mentioned only here and in Luke 10:13. Proof of “the meagreness of our knowledge of Judaism in the time of Christ” (Plummer) and of the many things not told in our Gospels (John 21:25). We know something of Bethsaida and more about Capernaum as places of privilege. But (πλην — plēn howbeit) neither of these cities repented, changed their conduct. Note condition of the second class, determined as unfulfilled in Matthew 11:21 and Matthew 11:23. [source]
Acts 17:24 The world [τὸν κόσμον]
Originally, order, and hence the order of the world; the ordered universe. So in classical Greek. In the Septuagint, never the world, but the ordered total of the heavenly bodies; the host of heaven (17:3; Isaiah 24:21; 40:26). Compare, also, Proverbs href="/desk/?q=pr+17:6&sr=1">Proverbs 17:6, and see note on James 3:6. In the apocryphal books, of the universe, and mainly in the relation between God and it arising out of the creation. Thus, the king of the world (2 Maccabees 7:9); the creator or founder of the world (2 Maccabees 12:15). In the New Testament: 1. In the classical and physical sense, the universe (John href="/desk/?q=joh+17:5&sr=1">John 17:5; John 21:25.; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 1:4, etc.). 2. As the order of things of which man is the centre (Matthew 13:38; Mark 16:15; Luke 9:25; John 16:21; Ephesians 2:12; 1 Timothy 6:7). 3. Humanity as it manifests itself in and through this order (Matthew 18:7; 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:6; Romans 3:19). Then, as sin has entered and disturbed the order of things, and made a breach between the heavenly and the earthly order, which are one in the divine ideal - 4. The order of things which is alienated from God, as manifested in and by the human race: humanity as alienated from God, and acting in opposition to him (John 1:10; John 12:31; John 15:18, John 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:15, etc.). The word is used here in the classical sense of the visible creation, which would appeal to the Athenians. Stanley, speaking of the name by which the Deity is known in the patriarchal age, the plural Elohim, notes that Abraham, in perceiving that all the Elohim worshipped by the numerous clans of his race meant one God, anticipated the declaration of Paul in this passage (“Jewish Church,” i., 25). Paul's statement strikes at the belief of the Epicureans, that the world was made by “a fortuitous concourse of atoms,” and of the Stoics, who denied the creation of the world by God, holding either that God animated the world, or that the world itself was God. [source]

What do the individual words in John 21:25 mean?

There are now also other things many that did - Jesus which if they should be written every one not even itself I suppose the world to have space for the to be written books
Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς ἅτινα ἐὰν γράφηται καθ’ ἕν οὐδ’ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρήσειν τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία

Ἔστιν  There  are 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἄλλα  other  things 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
πολλὰ  many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
γράφηται  they  should  be  written 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
καθ’  every 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἕν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
οὐδ’  not  even 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐδέ  
Sense: but not, neither, nor, not even.
αὐτὸν  itself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
οἶμαι  I  suppose 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: οἶμαι 
Sense: to suppose, think.
κόσμον  world 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κόσμος  
Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.
χωρήσειν  to  have  space 
Parse: Verb, Future Infinitive Active
Root: χωρέω  
Sense: to leave space (which may be filled or occupied by another), to make room, give place, yield.
τὰ  for  the 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γραφόμενα  to  be  written 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
βιβλία  books 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: βιβλίον  
Sense: a small book, a scroll, a written document.