John 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Verily	Ἀμὴν Amēn	G281	properly · interjection — Hebrew
verily	ἀμὴν amēn	G281	properly · interjection — Hebrew
I say	λέγω legō	G3004	properly · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
unto you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
He	πιστεύων pisteuōn	G4100	to have faith (in · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
that	ὁ ho	G3588	the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative singular masculine
believeth	πιστεύω pisteúō	G4100	to have faith (in
on	εἰς eis	G1519	to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
me	ἐμέ emé	G1691	me
the works	ἔργα erga	G2041	toil (as an effort or occupation) · noun — accusative plural neuter
that	ἃ ha	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — accusative plural neuter
I	ἐμέ, eme	G1473	I · personal pronoun — 1st person accusative singular
do	ποιῶ poiō	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
shall he do	ποιήσει poiēsei	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person singular
also	κἀκεῖνος kakeînos	G2548	likewise that (or those)
and	κἀκεῖνος kakeinos	G2532	and · conjunction + demonstrative pronoun — nominative singular masculine
greater	μείζονα meizona	G3173	big (literally or figuratively · adjective — accusative plural neuter, comparative
than these	τούτων toútōn	G5130	of (from or concerning) these (persons or things)
shall he do	ποιήσει, poiēsei	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person singular
because	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
I	ἐγὼ egō	G1473	I · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular
go	πορεύομαι. poreuomai	G4198	to traverse · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular
unto	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
my	μοῦ moû	G3450	of me
Father	πατέρα patera	G3962	a "father" (literally or figuratively · noun — accusative singular masculine, a title

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fi…
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Luke 10:17-19 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Acts 16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out o…
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out…
Acts 9:34 And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Acts 5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 14:12-14

The disciples, as they were full of grief to think of parting with their Master, so they were full of care what would become of themselves when he was gone; while he was with them, he was a support to them, kept them in countenance, kept them in heart; but, if he leave them, they will be as sheep having no shepherd, an easy prey to those who seek to run them down. Now, to silence these fears, Christ here assures them that they should be clothed with powers sufficient to bear them out. As Christ has all power, they, in his name, should have great power, both in heaven and in earth. I. Great power on earth (Joh 14:12): He that believeth on me (as I know you do), the works that I do shall he do…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 14:8

The substance of this passage is that the Son is the ordained and perfect manifestation of the Father, that His own word for this ought to His disciples to be enough; that if any doubts remained His works ought to remove them (see on Joh 10:37); but yet that these works of His were designed merely to aid weak faith, and would be repeated, nay exceeded, by His disciples, in virtue of the power He would confer on them after His departure. His miracles the apostles wrought, though wholly in His name and by His power, and the "greater" works--not in degree but in kind--were the conversion of thousands in a day, by His Spirit accompanying them.

Adam Clarke on John 14:12

And greater works than these - The miracles which I have wrought could not have been wrought but by the omnipotence of God; but that omnipotence can work greater. And those who believe on my name shall, through my almighty power, be enabled to work greater miracles than those which l have ordinarily wrought. An impostor might seduce the people by false miracles; but he could not make his power and cunning pass to all those who were seduced by him: but I will give you this proof of the divinity of my mission and the truth of my doctrine. Perhaps the greater works refer to the immense multitudes that were brought to God by the ministry of the apostles. By the apostles was the doctrine of Chris…

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The Church Fathers

Skillfully inserting here the word also, he has allowed us similarity and yet has not ascribed natural unity. The work of the Father and the work of the Son, therefore, are one.
— Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.11.91

We said above that the words "I am going to the Father" refer to [his union with the Father after his passion]. After … this union, he will have the power to give everything to those who ask him, because by asking they ask for the greatness dwelling in him. He can give because of his [union with the Father], and the Father then is completely recognized in the Son to be excellent and admirable.
— Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON JOHN 6.14.13-14

(Hom. lxxiv. 2) Having said, Believe for the works' sake, our Lord goes on to declare that He can do much greater than these, and what is more wonderful, give others the power of working them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do, shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do. (Hom. lxxiv. 2) i. e. I shall not perish, but shall remain in My proper dignity, in heaven. Or He means: It is your part henceforth to work miracles, since I am going.
— John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Conduct, Christian · Believing God — Believing God
Miracles · Faith required in: Those who performed — Faith required in: Those who performed
Philip · .Asks Jesus to show the Father — .Asks Jesus to show the Father

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

John 14:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 14:12-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 14:8

Adam Clarke on John 14:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John 14:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 14:12-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 14:8

Adam Clarke on John 14:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on John 14:12

John Calvin on John 14:8-14

Tyndale Open Study Notes on John 14:12