John 14:7 (GNV)

Passage

If ye had knowen mee, ye should haue knowen my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and haue seene him.

Nearby Context

John 14:5 Thomas sayd vnto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest: how can we then know ye way?

John 14:6 Iesus sayd vnto him, I am that Way, and that Trueth, and that Life. No man commeth vnto the Father, but by me.

John 14:7 If ye had knowen mee, ye should haue knowen my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and haue seene him.

John 14:8 Philippe sayd vnto him, Lord, shewe vs thy Father, and it sufficeth vs.

John 14:9 Iesus sayd vnto him, I haue bene so long time with you, and hast thou not knowen mee, Philippe? he that hath seene me, hath seene my Father: how then sayest thou, Shewe vs thy Father?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knowen", "should", "haue", "father", "henceforth", and "seene". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knowen" and "should", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Iesus sayd vnto him I am that..." into verse 8's "Philippe sayd vnto him Lord shewe vs...", so "knowen" and "should" 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 "knowen" and "should" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.