The Meaning of John 11:42 Explained

John 11:42

KJV: And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

YLT: and I knew that Thou always dost hear me, but, because of the multitude that is standing by, I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send me.'

Darby: but I knew that thou always hearest me; but on account of the crowd who stand around I have said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

ASV: And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  I  knew  that  thou hearest  me  always:  but  because  of the people  which  stand by  I said  [it], that  they may believe  that  thou  hast sent  me. 

What does John 11:42 Mean?

Context Summary

John 11:36-44 - Victory Over Death
1. The Lord had been praying about this matter before He came to the grave: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me."Notice that past tense. Perhaps He had done so when He first received the news of Lazarus' sickness. He had prayed and had received the assurance that His prayer was answered. When He started back across the Jordan, it was with the full assurance that Lazarus would be raised to life.
2. He was conscious, also, of a life of unceasing prayer. There was unbroken and constant co-operation between Him and the Father. He always did the things that pleased God and God was always answering Him. This, also, might be our constant experience.
3. Christ made this prayer that those who stood around, as they saw the effect of prayer, should understand that prayer alone can work great miracles, which become the credentials of Christ, and of all who love and obey Him. His people similarity can do great miracles, as missionaries, Christian workers, and philanthropists. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 11

1  Jesus raises Lazarus, four days buried
45  Many Jews believe
47  The high priests and Pharisees gather a council against Jesus
49  Caiaphas prophesies
54  Jesus hides himself
55  At the Passover they enquire after him, and lay wait for him

Greek Commentary for John 11:42

And I knew [εγω δε ηιδειν]
Past perfect of οιδα — oida used as imperfect. This confident knowledge is no new experience with Jesus. It has “always” Second perfect active (intransitive) articular participle of περιιστημι — periistēmi It was a picturesque and perilous scene. That they may believe Purpose clause with ινα — hina and first ingressive aorist active subjunctive of πιστευω — pisteuō “that they may come to believe.” That thou didst send me First aorist active indicative of αποστελλω — apostellō and note position of συ με — su me side by side. This claim Jesus had long ago made (John 5:36) and had repeatedly urged (John 10:25, John 10:38). Here was a supreme opportunity and Jesus opens his heart about it. [source]
The people [τὸν ὄχλον]
In view of the distinction which John habitually makes between the Jews and the multitude, the use of the latter term here is noticeable, since Jews occurs at John 11:19, John 11:31, John 11:36. It would seem to indicate that a miscellaneous crowd had gathered. Rev., the multitude. See on John 1:19. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 11:42

Romans 4:5 Believeth on Him [πιστεύοντι ἐπὶ τὸν]
The verb πιστεύω tobelieve is used in the New Testament as follows: 1. Transitively, with the accusative and dative: to entrust something to one, Luke 16:11; John 2:24. In the passive, to be entrusted with something, Romans 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 2:7. With the simple accusative, to believe a thing, John 11:26; 1 John 4:16. -DIVIDER-
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2. With the infinitive, Acts 15:11. -DIVIDER-
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3. With ὅτι that Matthew 9:28; Mark 11:24; James 2:19. Especially frequent in John: John 4:21; John 11:27, John 11:42; John 13:19; John 14:10, John 14:11; John 16:27, John 16:30, etc. -DIVIDER-
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4. With the simple dative, meaning to believe a person or thing, that they are true or speak the truth, John 2:22; John 4:21; John 5:46. See on John 1:12; see on John 2:22, John 2:23; see on John 8:31; see on John 10:37. -DIVIDER-
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5. With the preposition ἐν inNot frequent, and questioned in some of the passages cited for illustration. In John 3:15, ἐν αὐτῷ inHim, is probably to be construed with have eternal life. The formula occurs nowhere else in John. In Mark 1:15we find πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ believein the gospel. The kindred noun πίστις faithoccurs in this combination. Thus Galatians 3:26, though some join in Christ Jesus with sons. See also Ephesians 1:15; Colossians 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:13; 2 Timothy 3:15; Romans 3:25. This preposition indicates the sphere in which faith moves, rather than the object to which it is directed, though instances occur in the Septuagint where it plainly indicates the direction of faith, Psalm 78:22; Jeremiah 12:6. -DIVIDER-
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6. With the preposition ἐπί uponon to, unto. a. With the accusative, Romans 4:5; Acts 9:42; Acts 11:17; Acts 16:31; Acts 22:19. The preposition carries the idea of mental direction with a view to resting upon, which latter idea is conveyed by the same preposition. b. With the dative, 1 Timothy 1:16; Luke 24:25; compare Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6. The dative expresses absolute superposition. Christ as the object of faith, is the basis on which faith rests. -DIVIDER-
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7. With the preposition εἰς into Matthew 18:6; John 2:11; Acts 19:4; Romans 10:14; Galatians 2:16; Philemon 1:29, etc. The preposition conveys the idea of the absolute transference of trust from one's self to another. Literally the phrase means to believe into. See on John 1:12; see on John 2:23; see on John 9:35; see on John 12:44.Is counted for righteousness ( λογίζεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην )Rev., is reckoned. See on Romans 4:3. The preposition εἰς has the force of as, not the telic meaning with a view to, or in order that he may be (righteous); nor strictly, in the place of righteousness. Faith is not a substitute for righteousness, since righteousness is involved in faith. When a man is reckoned righteous through faith, it is not a legal fiction. He is not indeed a perfect man, but God does not reckon something which has no real existence. Faith is the germ of righteousness, of life in God. God recognizes no true life apart from holiness, and “he that believeth on the Son hath life.” He is not merely regarded in the law's eye as living. God accepts the germ, not in place of the fruit, but as containing the fruit. “Abraham believed God … . No soul comes into such a relation of trust without having God's investment upon it; and whatever there may be in God's righteousness - love, truth, sacrifice - will be rightfully imputed or counted to be in it, because, being united to Him, it will have them coming over derivatively from Him” (Bushnell). The idea of logical sequence is inherent in λογίζεται isreckoned - the sequence of character upon faith. Where there is faith there is, logically, righteousness, and the righteousness is from faith unto faith (Romans 1:17). Nevertheless, in the highest development of the righteousness of faith, it will remain true that the man is justified, not by the works of righteousness, which are the fruit of faith, but by the faith which, in making him a partaker of the life and righteousness of God, generates and inspires the works. Observe that the believer's own faith is reckoned as righteousness. “In no passage in Paul's writings or in other parts of the New Testament, where the phrase to reckon for or the verb to reckon alone is used, is there a declaration that anything belonging to one person is imputed, accounted, or reckoned to another, or a formal statement that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers” (President Dwight, “Notes on Meyer”). -DIVIDER-
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[source]

1 John 5:14 He heareth us [ἀκούει ἡμῶν]
Compare John 9:31; John 11:41, John 11:42. Hear is used in this sense by John only. [source]

What do the individual words in John 11:42 mean?

I and knew that always Me You hear but on account of the crowd - standing around I said [it] that they may believe You Me sent
ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν περιεστῶτα εἶπον ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν σύ με ἀπέστειλας

ᾔδειν  knew 
Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
πάντοτέ  always 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάντοτε  
Sense: at all times, always, ever.
μου  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀκούεις  You  hear 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
διὰ  on  account  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
ὄχλον  crowd 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
περιεστῶτα  standing  around 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: περιί̈στημι  
Sense: to place around one.
εἶπον  I  said  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
πιστεύσωσιν  they  may  believe 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀπέστειλας  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.