John 4:51

51 Now [as] he was going down, his slaves met him, saying that his child was alive.

John 4:51 Meaning and Commentary

John 4:51

And as he was now going down
From Cana to Capernaum, the day after he had been with Christ:

his servants met him, and told [him], saying, thy son liveth;
as soon as this cure was wrought, though it was not known in the family how, and by whom it was done, immediately some of the servants were dispatched to carry the news to their master, that his sorrow might be removed; and he give himself no further trouble in seeking for a cure: these meeting him on the road, with an air of pleasure, at once address him with the joyful news, that his son was thoroughly recovered of his disorder, and was alive, and well; news which he was acquainted with, and believed before; though it must give him an additional, pleasure to have it confirmed.

John 4:51 In-Context

49 The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!"

50 Jesus said to him, "Go, your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he departed.

51 Now [as] he was going down, his slaves met him, saying that his child was alive.

52 So he inquired from them the hour at which he had gotten better. Then they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

53 So the father knew that [it was] that same hour at which Jesus said to him, "Your son will live," and he himself believed, and his whole household.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was going down")