WHAT IT MEANS
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Jesus identifies Himself—not merely His teaching—as the way to the Father, the truth that reveals God, and the source of life.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Jesus is comforting His disciples before the crucifixion after Thomas admits they do not know the way forward.
APPLY IT
For today
Center Christian faith on the person of Jesus and follow Him when the road ahead is unclear.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
WEB World English Bible
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
ASV American Standard Version
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
Jesus saith to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me;
Surrounding context — John 14
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
λέγειG3004 · legōto sayαὐτῷG846 · autosit/s/heὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoἸησοῦς·G2424 · IēsousJesusἐγώG1473 · egōI/weεἰμιG1510 · eimito beἡG3588 · hothe/this/whoὁδὸςG3598 · hodosroadκαὶG2532 · kaiandἡG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀλήθειαG225 · alētheiatruthκαὶG2532 · kaiandἡG3588 · hothe/this/whoζωή.G2222 · zōēlifeοὐδεὶςG3762 · oudeisnoneἔρχεταιG2064 · erchomaito come/goπρὸςG4314 · prosto/withτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoπατέραG3962 · patērfatherεἰG1487 · eiifμὴG3361 · mēnotδι᾽G1223 · diathrough/because ofἐμοῦ.G1473 · egōI/we
Cross-references
Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.John 10:9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.Ephesians 2:18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.John 11:25-26Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.1 John 5:20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.1 John 5:11-12And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.Isaiah 35:8-9And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein].John 1:17For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.Hebrews 7:25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.John 8:32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.1 Peter 3:18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:John 5:21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.2 John 1:9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.Revelation 20:15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.John 15:1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.Matthew 11:27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him].
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on John 14:6
Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on John 14:6
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →