John 20:31but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
The setting
Ephesus, ~90 AD. John sets down his stylus, having written his life's masterpiece for future generations...
The emotion here: passionate urgency of an old man's final testimony
The original word
pisteuō (πιστεύω) — active, ongoing trust, not one-time intellectual agreement
Why it matters
This is the Bible's clearest statement of why a Gospel was written
Read with care
What most readers miss in John 20:31
John uses present tense — 'may keep on believing' — faith is ongoing, not one decision
Common misconceptionMany think 'believing' here means intellectual acceptance. John uses the Greek present tense — he means ongoing, daily trust in Jesus as a way of life.
The thread continues
Verses that echo John 20:31
Bible Genome reading
John 20:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
John 20:31 comes from the book of John, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to John. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include purpose, life. Notable phrases: that you may believe; have life in his name. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does John 20:31 mean to you, today?
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