John 1:44 (DRB)

Passage

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Nearby Context

John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona. Thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.

John 1:43 On the following day, he would go forth into Galilee: and he findeth Philip, And Jesus saith to him: follow me.

John 1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.

John 1:46 And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "philip", "bethsaida", "city", "andrew", and "peter". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "philip" and "bethsaida", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 43's "On the following day he would go..." into verse 45's "Philip findeth Nathanael and saith to him...", so "philip" and "bethsaida" 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 "philip" and "bethsaida" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.