What Does John 6:6 Mean in the King James?
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Jesus’ test does not come from uncertainty about his next move; it brings Philip’s present horizon into view beside the action Jesus already knows.
THE MEANING
The need before you can exceed what you see as possible, and the question brings that gap into view. Jesus already knows what he will do; the test unfolds within that knowledge. What feels unresolved to you is not unresolved to him.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that a hard question means Jesus is waiting to discover whether he has a way forward; he already knows his next act.
THE ROOT
πειράζω
peirazō
GROWS FROM
πειρ-
peir-
To try, attempt, or put something to a test.
“prove” in this verse is peirazō. The Greek word family holds testing and temptation together: pressure becomes a test in what it draws out. Here, the question brings Philip’s horizon into view while Jesus already knows what he will do.
ALSO GROWS
peirasmos: Trial, testing, or temptation.
πειρασμός
English often separates trial from temptation, while the shared word family shows both can name a pressure that draws out a response.
peirazomenos: Being tested or tried.
πειραζόμενος
Hebrews 11:17 uses this form for Abraham, linking this test with one answered through visible action.
ᾔδει
ēdei
GROWS FROM
οἶδα (oida), from εἴδω (eidō)
οἶδα means “know” and is historically the perfect form of εἴδω, “see”: to have seen.
The Greek form translated “knew” belongs to a word family tied to seeing: knowing as having seen. That history sharpens the contrast between what Philip can see and what Jesus already knows he will do.
ALSO GROWS
eidō: To see or perceive.
εἴδω
This related verb keeps sight within the family behind “knew,” echoing the difference between the visible need and Jesus’ knowledge.
eidos: Form, appearance, or visible shape.
εἶδος
This related noun names what can be seen, bringing the visible scene into contrast with what Jesus already knows.
THE PATTERN
Testing makes an inward reality visible through a person’s response.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?THE THREAD
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,Hebrews uses the same Greek testing verb family as John’s “prove.” There, the test takes visible form in Abraham’s action, opening the same pattern of an inward response coming into view.
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