What Does John 5:26 Mean?
For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son to have life in himself.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;THE KEY
The life given to the Son is not merely delivered to him; it is life he has within himself, as the Father does.
THE MEANING
This verse shows you life as having its source in the Father and being present in the Son. The Son has this life within himself, so receiving it and possessing it inwardly belong together.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse dissolves the idea that receiving life means holding only an outside supply: the Son is given life to have within himself.
THE ROOT
ζωή
zōē
GROWS FROM
ζάω
zaō
to live, to be alive
The same word for life appears twice: the Father has it in himself, and the Son is given to have it in himself. The life being given is not an external supply alone; it is life held inwardly.
ALSO GROWS
zōn: Alive; living.
ζῶν
This participle from the same verb family shows that ζωή names the condition of being alive, not merely a possession.
zōopoieō: To make alive, give life.
ζῳοποιέω
This related verb joins life with making alive, showing the active reach of the same life named in the verse.
δέδωκεν
dedōken
GROWS FROM
δίδωμι
didōmi
to give, grant, set, or place
“has given” in this verse is dedōken. The form δέδωκεν presents the giving as an accomplished act with a continuing result: the Son has been given life and has it in himself. The related words for giving and gift make clear that what is received remains truly present within him.
ALSO GROWS
dosis: The act of giving or a gift.
δόσις
This related noun makes the giving itself visible: the Son’s life is received from the Father.
dōrea: A gift freely given.
δωρεά
This related word emphasizes that the life the Son has in himself is given.
THE PATTERN
Life has its source in God and becomes present within the one who receives it from him.
For with you is the spring of life; in your light we see light.In him was life, and the life was the light of humankind.And this is the witness, that God has given us the life of the ages, and this life is in his Son.THE THREAD
In him was life, and the life was the light of humankind.John 1:4 uses the same word, ζωή (zōē), and places that life in the Word before describing it as the light of humanity. John 5:26 shows that same life in relation to the Father and Son: it is in the Father and given to be in the Son.
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