John 6:20

But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

BSB

But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

KJV

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

ASV

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

BBE

But he said to them, It is I, have no fear.

Original Greek

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ὁ ho (the) G3588 δὲ de And G1161 λέγει legei He says G3004 αὐτοῖς autois to them G846 ἐγώ egō I myself G1473 εἰμι eimi am [He] G1510 μὴ mē not G3361 φοβεῖσθε phobeisthe do fear G5399

The early church

All 6
"It is I, be not afraid." As He spake the word, He cast out fear from their souls. But at another time not so; wherefore Peter said "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me to come unto Thee." (Matt. xiv. 28.) Whence then was it that at that time they did not straightway admit this, but now were persuaded? It was because then the storm continued to toss the bark, but now at His voice the calm had come.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
He stilled the storm, that He might make known to them His power.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
(Hom. xliii. 1) Or take another explanation. This miracle seems to me to be a different one, from the one given in Matthew: for there they do not receive Him into the ship immediately, whereas here they doh: and there the storm lasts for some time, whereas here as soon as He speaks, there is a calm. He often repeats the same miracle in order to impress it on men's minds.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(in Matt. c. xiv.) He does not say, I am Jesus, but only I am. He trusts to their easily recognising a voice, which was so familiar to them, or, as is more probable, He shows that He was the same who said to Moses, I am that I am (Exod. 3:14)
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Hom. xliii. 1) And at last He appears quite unexpectedly: They see Jesus walking upon the sea, drawing nigh. He reappears after His retirement, teaching them what it is to be forsaken, and stirring them to greater love; His reappearance manifesting His power. They were disturbed, were afraid, it is said. Our Lord comforts them: But He saith unto them, It is I, be not afraid.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 15–21

Here were Christ's disciples in the way of duty, and Christ was praying for them; yet they were in distress. There may be perils and afflictions of this present time, where there is an interest in Christ. Clouds and darkness often surround the children of the light and of the day. They see Jesus walking on the sea. Even the approaches of comfort and deliverance often are so mistaken, as to become the occasions of fear. Nothing is more powerful to convince sinners than that word, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest;" nothing more powerful to comfort saints than this, "I am Jesus whom thou lovest." If we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, though the night be dark, and the wind high, yet we may comfort ourselves, we shall be at the shore before long.

Read Matthew Henry on John 6 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 14:26–27Mark 6:49–50

Cross-references

9

Topics

Faith

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.