John 1:16 (ASV)

Passage

For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.

Nearby Context

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

John 1:15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.

John 1:16 For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "grace", "fulness", and "received". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "grace" and "fulness", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "John beareth witness of him and crieth..." into verse 17's "For the law was given through Moses...", so "grace" and "fulness" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "grace" and "fulness" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.