John 1:9 (DRB)

Passage

That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.

Nearby Context

John 1:7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.

John 1:8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

John 1:9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.

John 1:10 He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.

John 1:11 He came unto his own: and his own received him not.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "light", "true", "enlighteneth", and "cometh". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "light", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "He was not the light but was..." into verse 10's "He was in the world and the...", so "world" and "light" 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 "world" and "light" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.