Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    And Nathanael sayde vnto him: can ther eny good thinge come out of Nazareth? Philip sayde to him: come and se.

  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    Then Nathanael sayde vnto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saide to him, Come, and see.

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Cross-references (5)

Passages linked to John 1:46 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • John 7:52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
  • John 7:41-42 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
  • John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.
  • Luke 12:57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

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Explain this verse (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 46. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?…

46. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? At first, Nathanael refuses, the place of Christ’s nativity (as described by Philip) having given him offense. But, first of all, he is deceived by the inconsiderate discourse of Philip; for what Philip foolishly believed Nathanael receives as certain. Next, there is added a foolish judgment arising from hatred or contempt of the place. Both of these points ought to be carefully observed by us. This holy man was not far from shutting out against himself all approach to Christ. Why was this? Because he rashly believes what Philip spoke incorrectly about Christ; and next, because his mind was under the influence of a preconceived opinion that no good thing could come out of Nazareth. If then we are not carefully on our guard, we shall be liable to the same danger; and Satan labors every day, by similar obstacles, to hinder us from coming to Christ; for he has the dexterity to spread many falsehoods, the tendency of which is to excite our hatred or suspicion against the Gospel, that we may not venture to taste it. And next, he ceases not to try another method, namely, to make us look on Christ with contempt; for we see how many there are who take offense at the degradation of the cross, which appears both in Christ the head and in his members. But as we can hardly be so cautious as not to be tempted by those stratagems of Satan, let us at least remember immediately this caution:

Come and see. Nathanael allowed his twofold error to be corrected by this expression which Philip uttered. Following his example, let us first show ourselves to be submissive and obedient; and next, let us not shrink from inquiry, when Christ himself is ready to remove the doubts which harass us. Those who read these words not as a question, but as an affirmation, Some good thing may come out of Nazareth, are greatly mistaken. For, in the first place, how trivial would such an observation be? And next, we know that the city Nazareth was not at that time held in estimation; and Philip’s reply shows plainly enough that it was expressive of hesitation and distrust.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain We must especially take heed of false presumptions, which…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The words of Philip begat a prejudice in Nathanael,…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Nathanael said unto him,.... Taking notice of, and…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? -…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 46. Can there any good thing come out…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Can any good thing ... - The character of…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Nathanael…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain any good out of Nazareth--remembering Bethlehem, perhaps, as Messiah's…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 46. Good thing… out of Nazareth—Some object that there…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 46. Can there any good thing, &c.] All Galileans…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (46) The question is not, “Can the Messiah come…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 46-49. (c) The Son of God and King…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 46. Come and see. That is the best answer…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Nathaniel said to him
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 1:46 Can anything good come from Nazareth? This village…

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