John 5:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Jesus speaks these words in a discourse defending his authority after healing on the Sabbath. He explains the life-giving authority the Father has given him and what it means for those who believe.
What Does John 5:24 Mean?
John 5:24 records one of Jesus' clearest promises about the security of those who believe: whoever hears his word and trusts the One who sent him has everlasting life. The double "Verily, verily" marks it as a truth of the highest importance, and the verse holds three assurances bound tightly together.
First, the believer "hath everlasting life" -- present tense, a possession held now rather than only awaited. Second, such a person "shall not come into condemnation," the verdict of guilt removed. Third, and most vividly, the believer "is passed from death unto life" -- not will pass, but has already passed. A decisive crossing has occurred. The response Jesus describes is twofold: to hear his word and to believe on the Father who sent him. Hearing here means more than letting sound reach the ear; it means receiving and heeding. And believing rests on the bond between the Son and the Father who sent him, so that trusting the Son is trusting the One behind his mission. For anyone weighed down by fear of judgment, this verse is steadying ground. The transfer from death to life is described as already accomplished for the one who hears and believes.
In the Original Language
The Greek "metabebeken" (is passed) is a perfect-tense verb describing a completed crossing with lasting effect. "Krisis" (condemnation) means judgment, and "zoen aionion" means everlasting life.
Cross References
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- John 3:16
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
- Romans 8:1
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
- 1 John 3:14
Application
If fear of judgment troubles you, hold to Christ's word: the one who hears and believes has already passed from death to life. That crossing rests on him, not on your performance.