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46 Nathanael[a] replied,[b] “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”[c] Philip replied,[d] “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed,[e] “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit![f] 48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied,[g] “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree,[h] I saw you.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:46 tn Grk “And Nathanael.”
  2. John 1:46 tn Grk “said to him.”
  3. John 1:46 sn Can anything good come out of Nazareth? may be a local proverb expressing jealousy among the towns.
  4. John 1:46 tn Grk “And Philip said to him.”
  5. John 1:47 tn Grk “said about him.”
  6. John 1:47 tn Or “treachery.”sn An allusion to Ps 32:2.
  7. John 1:48 tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”
  8. John 1:48 sn Many have speculated about what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree. Meditating on the Messiah who was to come? A good possibility, since the fig tree was used as shade for teaching or studying by the later rabbis (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:11). Also, the fig tree was symbolic for messianic peace and plenty (Mic 4:4, Zech 3:10.)