Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 12:47
Verse 47. And believe not] kai mh fulaxh, And keep them not, is the reading of ABL, seven others; Syriac, Wheelock's Persian, two of the Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Armenian, later Syriac, Vulgate, six of the Itala, and some of the fathers. A man must hear the words of Christ in order to believe them; and he must believe, in order to keep them; and he must keep them in order to his salvation.
I judge him not] I need not do it: the words of Moses and the prophets judge and condemn him. See the notes on chap. iii. 17; v. 45.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 47. And if any man hear my words and believe not , etc.] Men may hear the Gospel of Christ, and not understand it; and they may understand it literally and grammatically, though not spiritually and experimentally, and not believe it; not so much as give credit or an assent to the truth of it, but reject and deny it; for though faith comes by hearing to some, it does not come to all: some receive no profit by hearing it, because it is not mixed with faith by them. The Alexandrian copy, and all the Oriental versions, and also Nonnus, read the last clause thus, and keep [them] not; or does not observe them, is negligent of them, and shows no regard, and yields not the obedience of faith to them; the sense is the same. I judge him not ; I do not accuse him to the Father, nor do I condemn him, nor shall I take vengeance on him for so doing; meaning, that he should do none of these things now, though hereafter he will be a swift witness against him, and will convict and condemn him, and pass sentence on him, and execute it: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world . Christ, at his first coming, came not under the character of a judge, but a Saviour; wherefore suitable to his character, and the end of his coming, he would not accuse, condemn, or judge any man, even the greatest unbelievers in him, and despisers of him, but would leave them to another day, when righteous judgment shall take place.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 44-50 - Our Lord publicly proclaimed, that every one who believed on him, a his true disciple, did not believe on him only, but on the Father wh sent him. Beholding in Jesus the glory of the Father, we learn to obey love, and trust in him. By daily looking to Him, who came a Light int the world, we are more and more freed from the darkness of ignorance error, sin, and misery; we learn that the command of God our Saviour in everlasting life. But the same word will seal the condemnation of all who despise it, or neglect it __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εαν 1437 COND τις 5100 X-NSM μου 3450 P-1GS ακουση 191 5661 V-AAS-3S των 3588 T-GPN ρηματων 4487 N-GPN και 2532 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N πιστευση 4100 5661 V-AAS-3S εγω 1473 P-1NS ου 3756 PRT-N κρινω 2919 5692 V-FAI-1S 2919 5719 V-PAI-1S αυτον 846 P-ASM ου 3756 PRT-N γαρ 1063 CONJ ηλθον 2064 5627 V-2AAI-1S ινα 2443 CONJ κρινω 2919 5725 V-PAS-1S τον 3588 T-ASM κοσμον 2889 N-ASM αλλ 235 CONJ ινα 2443 CONJ σωσω 4982 5661 V-AAS-1S τον 3588 T-ASM κοσμον 2889 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
47. Believe not (mh pisteush). The best texts read fulaxh, keep (them).Came (hlqon). The aorist tense, pointing to the purpose of the coming, as I am come (ver. 46) to the result. Compare viii. 14; ix. 39; x. 10; xii. 27, 47; xv. 22. Both tenses are found in viii. 42; xvi. 28.
