Meaning, commentary and cross references
John 14:2
“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
NIV · New International Version
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
WEB · World English Bible
In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.
What does John 14:2 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on John 14:2
In my Father's house are many mansions,.... This he says to draw off their minds from an earthly kingdom to an heavenly one; to point out the place to them whither he was going, and to support them with the views and hopes of glory under all their troubles. By his "Father's house" is meant heaven; see 2 Corinthians 5:1; which is of his Father's building, where he has, and will have all his family. This Christ says partly to reconcile the minds of his disciples to his departure from them, and partly to strengthen their hope of following him thither; since it was his Father's, and their Father's house whither he was going, and in which "are many mansions"; abiding or dwelling places; mansions…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on John 14:1–3
Believe and consider that really there is such a happiness: In my Father's house there are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, Joh 14:2. (1.) See under what notion the happiness of heaven is here represented: as mansions, many mansions in Christ's Father's house. [1.] Heaven is a house, not a tent or tabernacle; it is a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [2.]
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on John 14:1–7
2. In my Father's house are many dwellings. As the absence of Christ was a cause of grief, he declares that he does not, go away in such a. manner as to remain separate from them, since there is room for them also in the heavenly kingdom. For it was proper that he should remove the suspicion from their minds, that, when Christ ascended to the Father, he left his disciples on earth without taking any farther notice of them.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: John 14:1–5 (WEB)
1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. 4You know where I go, and you know the way.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Cross references
- 2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
- John 13:36
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”
- Hebrews 13:14
For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.
- Revelation 21:2
I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
- Hebrews 11:10
For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
- Revelation 3:12
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
- Hebrews 11:14–16
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
- John 12:25–26
He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.