John 12:20
New International Version
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.

New Living Translation
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration

English Standard Version
Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

Berean Standard Bible
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

Berean Literal Bible
Now there were certain Greeks among those coming up that they might worship at the feast.

King James Bible
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

New King James Version
Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

New American Standard Bible
Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

NASB 1995
Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

NASB 1977
Now there were certain Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

Legacy Standard Bible
Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

Amplified Bible
Now there were some Greeks (Gentiles) among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

Christian Standard Bible
Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.

American Standard Version
Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast:

Contemporary English Version
Some Greeks had gone to Jerusalem to worship during Passover.

English Revised Version
Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Some Greeks were among those who came to worship during the Passover festival.

Good News Translation
Some Greeks were among those who had gone to Jerusalem to worship during the festival.

International Standard Version
Now some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival.

Majority Standard Bible
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

NET Bible
Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast.

New Heart English Bible
Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there were certain Greeks among them, that came to worship at the feast.

Weymouth New Testament
Now some of those who used to come up to worship at the Festival were Greeks.

World English Bible
Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the celebration,

Berean Literal Bible
Now there were certain Greeks among those coming up that they might worship at the feast.

Young's Literal Translation
And there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the feast,

Smith's Literal Translation
And there were certain Greeks of those going up that they might worship in the festival:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there were certain Gentiles among them, who came up to adore on the festival day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now there were certain Gentiles among those who went up so that they might worship on the feast day.

New American Bible
Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast.

New Revised Standard Version
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now there were some Gentiles among them who had come up to worship at the feast.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But there were also some of them from among the Gentiles who came up to worship at the feast.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Among those who came to worship at the feast were certain Greeks.

Godbey New Testament
And there was certain Greeks of those having come up that they might worship at the feast:

Haweis New Testament
Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast:

Mace New Testament
In the mean time, among the rest that came to worship at the feast,

Weymouth New Testament
Now some of those who used to come up to worship at the Festival were Greeks.

Worrell New Testament
And there were some Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

Worsley New Testament
And among those that came up to worship at the feast there were certain Greeks:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Predicts His Death
19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!” 20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”…

Cross References
Acts 8:27
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,

John 7:35
At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, / asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Isaiah 56:6-7
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant— / I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Zechariah 8:20-23
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities— / and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’ / And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.” ...

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Romans 15:9-12
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” / Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” / And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.” ...

John 4:21-23
“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. / But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

John 1:11-12
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. / But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

John 11:55
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.

John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 17:20-21
I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, / that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)— / remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. / But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

Greeks.

John 7:35
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

Mark 7:26
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

Acts 14:1
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

to worship.

1 Kings 8:41-43
Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; …

Isaiah 11:10
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 60:2-14
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee…

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Feast Festival Greeks Used Worship
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Feast Festival Greeks Used Worship
John 12
1. Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet.
9. The people flock to see Lazarus.
10. The chief priests consult to kill him.
12. Jesus rides into Jerusalem.
20. Greeks desire to see Jesus.
23. He foretells his death.
37. The people are generally blinded;
42. yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44. therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith.














Now there were some Greeks
The phrase "some Greeks" refers to non-Jews, or Gentiles, who were present in Jerusalem. The Greek word used here is "Ἕλληνες" (Hellenes), which typically denotes Greek-speaking people or those influenced by Greek culture. This is significant because it highlights the universal appeal of Jesus' message, transcending ethnic and cultural boundaries. Historically, the presence of Greeks in Jerusalem during the feast indicates the widespread influence of Hellenistic culture and the openness of the Jewish religious festivals to God-fearing Gentiles. This moment foreshadows the later mission to the Gentiles, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles, and underscores the inclusivity of the Gospel.

among those who went up to worship
The phrase "went up to worship" suggests a pilgrimage, as Jerusalem is situated on a hill, and going there for worship was often described as "going up." The Greek word for "worship" here is "προσκυνέω" (proskyneō), which means to bow down or show reverence. This indicates that these Greeks were likely "God-fearers," Gentiles who revered the God of Israel and participated in Jewish religious practices without fully converting to Judaism. Their presence at the feast demonstrates their spiritual hunger and desire to connect with the God of Israel, reflecting the broader spiritual search that Jesus came to fulfill.

at the feast
The "feast" mentioned here is the Passover, one of the major Jewish festivals that commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. The Passover was a time when Jews from all over the world would gather in Jerusalem to celebrate. The Greek word for "feast" is "ἑορτή" (heortē), which signifies a festival or holy day. The presence of Greeks at this Jewish feast underscores the magnetic draw of the Jewish faith and its festivals, even to those outside the covenant community. It also sets the stage for Jesus' impending crucifixion, which would occur during this Passover, symbolizing the ultimate deliverance from sin for all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike. This context enriches the understanding of Jesus as the Lamb of God, whose sacrifice would bring salvation to the entire world.

(20) And there were certain Greeks.--Comp. Note on John 7:35, where we have the same word in the original, and Acts 6:1; Acts 9:29; and Acts 11:20. They were not Hellenists, i.e., Greek Jews, but Hellenes, i.e., Gentiles.

Among them that came up to worship at the feast.--The words imply that they were in the habit of going up to Jerusalem at the feasts, i.e., that though Greeks by birth, they had been admitted to the privileges of Judaism. They belonged to the class known as "Proselytes of the Gate." (Comp. Notes on Matthew 23:15 and Acts 8:27.) . . .

Verse 20. - Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast. Τινες implies a group, and a larger company of these ἀναβαινόντων, who were and are in the habit of going up (perhaps were still doing it even when John, before writing his Gospel, had first put the narrative into words). They went up with a view to worship in the feast, that is, there were burnt offerings and thank offerings which they were allowed to present. This shows that they were not heathen nor uncircumcised Hellenists, whichever view of that word be accepted.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Now
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

there were
Ἦσαν (Ēsan)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

some
τινες (tines)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

Greeks
Ἕλληνές (Hellēnes)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1672: From Hellas; a Hellen or inhabitant of Hellas; by extension a Greek-speaking person, especially a non-Jew.

among
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

those who
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

went up
ἀναβαινόντων (anabainontōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 305: To go up, mount, ascend; of things: I rise, spring up, come up. From ana and the base of basis; to go up.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

worship
προσκυνήσωσιν (proskynēsōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4352: From pros and a probable derivative of kuon; to fawn or crouch to, i.e. prostrate oneself in homage.

at
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

feast.
ἑορτῇ (heortē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1859: A festival, feast, periodically recurring. Of uncertain affinity; a festival.


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