Joh 12:39-40 | NETfull | STEP | For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said,

John 12:39-40

39 For this reason they could not believe, ^{▼▼ The author explicitly states here that Jesus’ Jewish opponents could not believe, and quotes Isa 6:10 to show that God had in fact blinded their eyes and hardened their heart. This OT passage was used elsewhere in the NT to explain Jewish unbelief: Paul’s final words in Acts (28:26–27) are a quotation of this same passage, which he uses to explain why the Jewish people have not accepted the gospel he has preached. A similar passage (Isa 29:10) is quoted in a similar context in Rom 11:8.} because again Isaiah said,

40 “ He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart, ^{▼▼ Or “closed their mind.”}
so that they would not see with their eyes
and understand with their heart, ^{▼▼ Or “their mind.”}
and turn to me, ^{▼▼ One could also translate στραφῶσιν (strafōsin) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.} and I would heal them. ” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Isa 6:10.}