John 14:6
Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
What John 14:6 means
Thomas has just admitted he does not know where Jesus is going, so he cannot know the way. Jesus answers by making himself the answer: not a map, but the road.
Each word does distinct work — the way to God, the truth about him, the life he gives. The second sentence is what makes the verse both central to Christian faith and difficult in a pluralist setting, and it is stated by Jesus rather than inferred about him.
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Questions about John 14:6
What does John 14:6 mean?
Jesus identifies himself as the way to God, the truth about God, and the source of life — and says that coming to the Father happens through him.
What is the context of John 14:6?
Jesus is comforting his disciples on the night before his death. Thomas asks how they can know the way to where he is going, and this is Jesus’ reply.