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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>John 1:16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/john/1-16.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/17/43_Jhn_01_16.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="John 1:16 - The Word Became Flesh" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace." /><script type="application/javascript" 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align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad16.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/john/1-15.htm" title="John 1:15">◄</a> John 1:16 <a href="/john/1-17.htm" title="John 1:17">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/john/1.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/john/1.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/john/1.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/john/1.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/john/1.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/john/1.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />For from His fullness, we have all received and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/john/1.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/john/1.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/john/1.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/john/1.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/john/1.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/john/1.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/john/1.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/john/1.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/john/1.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/john/1.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/john/1.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/john/1.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/john/1.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Each of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/john/1.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/john/1.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />We have all received one gracious gift after another from his abundance,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/john/1.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/john/1.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/john/1.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />For of his fullness we all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/john/1.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/john/1.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />For He it is from whose fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/john/1.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/john/1.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And we all received out of His fullness, and grace for grace;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/john/1.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />For from His fullness, we have all received and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/john/1.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and out of his fulness did we all receive, and grace over-against grace;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/john/1.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And of his completion we all received, and grace for grace.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/john/1.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/john/1.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />And from his fullness, we all have received, even grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/john/1.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/john/1.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/john/1.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And of his fulness we have all received, grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/john/1.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />And of his fulness we have all received, and grace for grace.<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/john/1.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />And from his fullness have we all received, even grace for grace;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/john/1.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />because He was my Creator. And of His fullness we all received grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/john/1.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />And from his plenitude we all have received, even grace corresponding with <i>his</i> grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/john/1.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />and of his Plenitude have we all received, even abundant grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/john/1.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />For He it is from whose fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/john/1.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />because out of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/john/1.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />And of his fulness have we all received, even grace for grace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/john/1-16.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ixy2bchmXZ0?start=108" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/john/1.htm">The Word Became Flesh</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">15</span>John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ ” <span class="reftext">16</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/3754.htm" title="3754: Hoti (Conj) -- Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because."></a> <a href="/greek/1537.htm" title="1537: ek (Prep) -- From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.">From</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: autou (PPro-GM3S) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.">His</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: tou (Art-GNS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/4138.htm" title="4138: plērōmatos (N-GNS) -- From pleroo; repletion or completion, i.e. what fills, or what is filled.">fullness</a> <a href="/greek/1473.htm" title="1473: hēmeis (PPro-N1P) -- I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.">we</a> <a href="/greek/3956.htm" title="3956: pantes (Adj-NMP) -- All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.">have all</a> <a href="/greek/2983.htm" title="2983: elabomen (V-AIA-1P) -- (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. ">received</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. "></a> <a href="/greek/5485.htm" title="5485: charin (N-AFS) -- From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.">grace</a> <a href="/greek/473.htm" title="473: anti (Prep) -- A primary particle; opposite, i.e. Instead or because of.">upon</a> <a href="/greek/5485.htm" title="5485: charitos (N-GFS) -- From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.">grace.</a> </span> <span class="reftext">17</span>For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/2-9.htm">Colossians 2:9-10</a></span><br />For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. / And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/1-22.htm">Ephesians 1:22-23</a></span><br />And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, / which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/5-17.htm">Romans 5:17</a></span><br />For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_corinthians/9-8.htm">2 Corinthians 9:8</a></span><br />And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/3-19.htm">Ephesians 3:19</a></span><br />of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/10-10.htm">John 10:10</a></span><br />The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/8-32.htm">Romans 8:32</a></span><br />He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_peter/1-3.htm">2 Peter 1:3-4</a></span><br />His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. / Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/4-7.htm">Ephesians 4:7</a></span><br />Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/1-19.htm">Colossians 1:19</a></span><br />For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/11-36.htm">Romans 11:36</a></span><br />For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/james/1-17.htm">James 1:17</a></span><br />Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/4-16.htm">Hebrews 4:16</a></span><br />Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/84-11.htm">Psalm 84:11</a></span><br />For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/16-11.htm">Psalm 16:11</a></span><br />You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.</p><p class="hdg">of his.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/3-34.htm">John 3:34</a></b></br> For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure <i>unto him</i>.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/15-1.htm">John 15:1-5</a></b></br> I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/3-11.htm">Matthew 3:11,14</a></b></br> I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and <i>with</i> fire: … </p><p class="hdg">and grace.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/zechariah/4-7.htm">Zechariah 4:7</a></b></br> Who <i>art</i> thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel <i>thou shalt become</i> a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone <i>thereof with</i> shoutings, <i>crying</i>, Grace, grace unto it.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/13-12.htm">Matthew 13:12</a></b></br> For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/romans/5-2.htm">Romans 5:2,17,20</a></b></br> By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God… </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/luke/24-53.htm">Blessing</a> <a href="/john/1-14.htm">Full</a> <a href="/ezekiel/19-7.htm">Fullness</a> <a href="/micah/1-2.htm">Fulness</a> <a href="/john/1-14.htm">Grace</a> <a href="/luke/12-42.htm">Measure</a> <a href="/luke/19-30.htm">Over-Against</a> <a href="/john/1-12.htm">Receive</a> <a href="/john/1-12.htm">Received</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/john/12-13.htm">Blessing</a> <a href="/john/2-7.htm">Full</a> <a href="/romans/11-12.htm">Fullness</a> <a href="/romans/11-12.htm">Fulness</a> <a href="/john/1-17.htm">Grace</a> <a href="/john/3-34.htm">Measure</a> <a href="/acts/27-5.htm">Over-Against</a> <a href="/john/3-11.htm">Receive</a> <a href="/john/3-18.htm">Received</a><div class="vheading2">John 1</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/1-1.htm">The divinity, humanity, office, and incarnation of Jesus Christ.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">15. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/1-15.htm">The testimony of John.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">39. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/1-39.htm">The calling of Simon and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/1.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/john/1.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>From His fullness</b><br>This phrase refers to the complete and perfect nature of Jesus Christ, who embodies the fullness of God (<a href="/colossians/1-19.htm">Colossians 1:19, 2</a>:9). In the context of John's Gospel, it emphasizes the divine nature of Christ, who is both fully God and fully man. The term "fullness" suggests the abundance and completeness of God's attributes and blessings available through Christ.<p><b>we have all received</b><br>This indicates the universal offer of grace through Jesus Christ, available to all who believe. The use of "we" includes both Jews and Gentiles, highlighting the inclusivity of the Gospel message. It reflects the early Christian understanding that salvation through Christ is not limited to a specific ethnic or religious group but is extended to all humanity (<a href="/galatians/3-28.htm">Galatians 3:28</a>).<p><b>grace upon grace</b><br>This phrase suggests an ongoing, abundant supply of grace, emphasizing the continuous and overflowing nature of God's favor and blessings through Christ. It can be understood as one grace replacing another, indicating the progressive and cumulative nature of God's work in believers' lives. This concept is echoed in passages like <a href="/ephesians/1-7.htm">Ephesians 1:7-8</a>, where the richness of God's grace is highlighted. The idea of "grace upon grace" also connects to the Old Testament, where God's covenantal faithfulness and mercy are repeatedly demonstrated to His people.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/j/jesus_christ.htm">Jesus Christ</a></b><br>The central figure in this verse, whose fullness is the source of grace. He is the Word made flesh, as described earlier in <a href="/bsb/john/1.htm">John 1</a>.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/j/john_the_apostle.htm">John the Apostle</a></b><br>The author of the Gospel of John, who provides a theological reflection on the nature and work of Christ.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_believers.htm">The Believers</a></b><br>Those who have received "grace upon grace" from the fullness of Christ. This includes the original audience of John's Gospel and extends to all Christians.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_fullness.htm">Understanding Fullness</a></b><br>The Greek word for "fullness" (pl?r?ma) signifies completeness and abundance. In Christ, there is an inexhaustible supply of grace available to believers.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/grace_upon_grace.htm">Grace Upon Grace</a></b><br>The phrase "grace upon grace" suggests a continuous and overflowing supply of grace. It emphasizes that God's grace is not a one-time gift but an ongoing provision.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/living_in_grace.htm">Living in Grace</a></b><br>As recipients of such abundant grace, believers are called to live lives that reflect gratitude and reliance on God's grace in every aspect of life.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/grace_in_community.htm">Grace in Community</a></b><br>The grace we receive is not just for personal benefit but is meant to be shared within the Christian community, fostering unity and love.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/r/responding_to_grace.htm">Responding to Grace</a></b><br>Our response to receiving grace should be one of worship, obedience, and a desire to extend grace to others.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_john_1.htm">Top 10 Lessons from John 1</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'grace_upon_grace'_mean.htm">What does "Grace upon Grace" mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/longest_bible_chapter.htm">What does 'Grace upon Grace' mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_indeterminism.htm">What does 'Fullness of God' mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_distinguishes_mercy_from_grace.htm">What distinguishes mercy from grace?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/john/1.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(16) <span class= "bld">And of his fulness.</span>--Not a continuance of the witness of John, but the words of the evangelist, and closely connected with <a href="/john/1-14.htm" title="And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.">John 1:14</a>. This is seen in the "all we," and in "fulness" ("full") and "grace," which are key-words of both verses.<p><span class= "bld">Fulness</span> is a technical theological term, meeting us again in this sense in the Epistles to, as here in the Gospel from, the Asiatic Churches. (Comp. especially <a href="/colossians/1-19.htm" title=" For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;">Colossians 1:19</a>; <a href="/colossians/2-9.htm" title=" For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.">Colossians 2:9</a>; <a href="/ephesians/1-23.htm" title="Which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.">Ephesians 1:23</a>; <a href="/ephesians/3-19.htm" title="And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.">Ephesians 3:19</a>; <a href="/ephesians/4-13.htm" title="Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:">Ephesians 4:13</a>.) The exposition belongs to the Notes on these passages. Here it means the plenitude of divine attributes, the "glory . . . full of grace and truth." "Of," or better, <span class= "ital">out of</span> this fulness does each individual receive, and thus the ideal church becomes "his body, the fulness of him that filleth all things in all." . . . <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/john/1.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 16-18.</span> - <p><span class="note_emph">(7)</span> <span class="accented">The experience of the Writer.</span> <span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 16.</span> - There can be little doubt that the fifteenth verse is a parenthetical clause, answering to the sixth and seventh verses, and standing to ver. 14 very much in the same kind of relation that vers. 6, 7 do to vers. 1-5. There is a further reason; the verses which follow are clearly not, as Lange suggests, the continuance of the Baptist's <span class="greek">μαρτυρία</span>, but the language of the evangelist, and a detail of his personal experience. The entire context would entirely forbid our taking the <span class="greek">αὐτοῦ</span> of ver. 16 as referring to the Baptist. This is still more evident from the true reading of <span class="greek">ὅτι</span> in place of <span class="greek">καὶ</span>. The "because" points back at once to the statements of ver. 14. Hengstenberg and Godet think there is no need to transform the fifteenth verse into a parenthesis, in order, after the recital of John the Baptist's testimony, to proceed to a further experience of the evangelist; translating "<span class="accented">and even</span>," Lange makes the whole utterance to be that of the Baptist, which appears to be profoundly inconsistent with the position of the Baptist, either then or subsequently. The grand declaration, that the Logos incarnate was "full of grace and truth," is justified by the author of the prologue, from his conscious experience of the exhaustless plenitude of the manifestation. <span class="cmt_word">Because from his fulness we all received.</span> He speaks as from the bosom of a society of persons, who have not been dependent on vision or on individual contact with the historic revelation (comp. ch. 20, "Blessed are they [Jesus said] who have not seen [touched or handled], and yet have believed," but have nevertheless discovered a perennial supply of grace and truth in him). We all, my fellow apostles and a multitude which no man can number, received from this source, as from the Divinity itself, all that we have needed. An effort has been made, from the evangelist's use of the word <span class="accented">pleroma</span>, to father the "prologue" upon one familiar with the Valentinian metaphysic, and thus to postpone its origin to the middle of the second century; but the Valentinian <span class="accented">pleroma</span> is the sum total of the Divine emanations of the thirty pairs of aeons, which have been produced from the eternal "bythos," or abyss, one only of which is supposed, on Valentinian principles, to have assumed a phantasmic form in Jesus Christ. Nothing could be less resembling the position of the author of this Gospel, who clearly regards the Logos incarnate as coincident with the fulness of the Godhead, as containing in himself, in complete self-possession, all the energies and beneficence of the Eternal. With the apostle's doctrine of the Logos as identical with God, as the Creator of everything, as the Life, as the Light of men; and, as becoming the Source of all these energies to men in his incarnation, there is no basis for Valentinianism. Though the phraseology of the Gnostics was borrowed in part from the Gospel, and though Valentinus may have fancied himself justified in his misuse of texts; the ideas of the Gospel and the Gnostic were directly contradictory of one another (see Introduction). Long before John used this word, St. Paul had used it in writing to the Ephesiaus and Colossians, as though, even in his day, the word had acquired a distinct theological meaning, and one that had naturally arisen from its etymology and usage in Greek writers. Bishop Lightfoot has shown in his dissertation ('Epistle to Colossians,' 2nd edit., pp. 257-273) that the form of the word demands a passive sense, <span class="accented">id quod impletur</span>, and not an active one which some have given to it in certain New Testament passages, as if it had the meaning of <span class="accented">id quod implet.</span> By his examination of numerous passages, he shows that it always has fundamentally the sense of <span class="accented">completeness</span>, "<span class="accented">the full complement</span>," <span class="accented">the plenitude.</span> <span class="greek">Πληρώμα</span> is the passive verbal from <span class="greek">πληροῦν</span>, to make complete. Thus <a href="/colossians/1-19.htm">Colossians 1:19</a>, "The Father was pleased that all the fulness, the totality, should dwell in him," explained elsewhere in the same Epistle, "all the completeness, the plenitude of the Godhead" (<a href="/colossians/2-9.htm">Colossians 2:9</a>). The widespread diffusion of the idea of emanations, the hypostatizing of perfections and attributes, the virtual mythology which was creeping through metaphysical subtleties even into Judaism and Christianity, demanded positive repudiation; and, while the whole Church was united in its recognition of the Divine energy of Christ, it became needful to refer to his Divine-human personality all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. In Ephesians St. Paul speaks, however, of the Church which is his body as identified with him, and as (in <a href="/ephesians/5-27.htm">Ephesians 5:27</a>) a bride made one flesh with her husband, without spot or wrinkle, ideally perfect, as the part of one colossal individuality of which Christ is the Head; or, the one building of which he is the Foundation and the Cornerstone. Hence "the fulness of Christ" (<a href="/ephesians/4-13.htm">Ephesians 4:13</a>) is that in which every member participates, and "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" is equated with the perfect humanity into which all believers come. Hence in <a href="/ephesians/3-19.htm">Ephesians 3:19</a> these individuals are completed in him, and are thus as a whole, by the realization of their union to Christ, participators in the fulness of God. So the difficult expression, <a href="/ephesians/1-23.htm">Ephesians 1:23</a>, becomes explained, a passage in which the Church itself, his body, is said to be "the fulness of him who filleth all in all." The Church is the organ and sphere in which all the Divine graces are poured, and is considered as ever struggling to embody the ideal perfection of him in whom all the fulness of God dwells. Both ideas, those of both the Christological Epistles, are involved in this great assertion of St. John. <span class="cmt_word">And grace for grace.</span> It is said the evangelist might have written <span class="greek">χάριν</span> <span class="greek">ἐπὶ χάριτι</span>, or <span class="greek">ἐπὶ χάριν</span>, grace in addition to grace received already; but the use of the preposition <span class="greek">ἀντί</span>, implies more, "grace interchanging with grace" (Meyer) - not the grace of the old covenant replaced by the grace of the new dispensation (Chrysostom, Lampe, and many others), for, though there was grace underlying all God's self-revelation, yet in the next verse the contrast between "Law" and "grace" is too striking to be ignored. The grace replaced by grace means that every grace received is a capacity for higher blessedness. Thus Christian humility is the condition of Divine uplifting; the knowledge that leads to love is the condition of that higher gnosis that is born of love. The faith that accepts mercy blossoms into the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. Reconciliation with God becomes itself transformed into active communion with him; all union to Christ becomes the harbinger of full identification with him, "he in us and we in him." This is the great principle of the Divine kingdom: "To him that hath shall be given." <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/john/1-16.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">From</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐκ</span> <span class="translit">(ek)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1537.htm">Strong's 1537: </a> </span><span class="str2">From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">His</span><br /><span class="grk">αὐτοῦ</span> <span class="translit">(autou)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_846.htm">Strong's 846: </a> </span><span class="str2">He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">fullness</span><br /><span class="grk">πληρώματος</span> <span class="translit">(plērōmatos)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4138.htm">Strong's 4138: </a> </span><span class="str2">From pleroo; repletion or completion, i.e. what fills, or what is filled.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">we</span><br /><span class="grk">ἡμεῖς</span> <span class="translit">(hēmeis)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1473.htm">Strong's 1473: </a> </span><span class="str2">I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">{have} all</span><br /><span class="grk">πάντες</span> <span class="translit">(pantes)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3956.htm">Strong's 3956: </a> </span><span class="str2">All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">received</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐλάβομεν</span> <span class="translit">(elabomen)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2983.htm">Strong's 2983: </a> </span><span class="str2">(a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. </span><br /><br /><span class="word">grace</span><br /><span class="grk">χάριν</span> <span class="translit">(charin)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5485.htm">Strong's 5485: </a> </span><span class="str2">From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">upon</span><br /><span class="grk">ἀντὶ</span> <span class="translit">(anti)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_473.htm">Strong's 473: </a> </span><span class="str2">A primary particle; opposite, i.e. Instead or because of.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">grace.</span><br /><span class="grk">χάριτος</span> <span class="translit">(charitos)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5485.htm">Strong's 5485: </a> </span><span class="str2">From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/john/1-16.htm">John 1:16 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/john/1-16.htm">NT Gospels: John 1:16 From his fullness we all received grace (Jhn Jo Jn) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/john/1-15.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="John 1:15"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="John 1:15" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/john/1-17.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="John 1:17"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="John 1:17" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>