Believe in the light (πιστευετε εις το φως). That is, "believe in me as the Messiah" (John 8:12; John 9:5).

That ye may become sons of light (ινα υιο φωτος γενησθε). Purpose clause with ινα and second aorist subject of γινομα, to become. They were not "sons of light," a Hebrew idiom (cf. John 17:12; Luke 16:8 with the contrast), an idiom used by Paul in 1. Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8. It is equivalent to "enlightened men" (Bernard) and Jesus called his disciples the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

Hid himself from them (εκρυβη απ' αυτων). Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω, late form (in LXX) for old εκρυφη, "was hidden from them," as in John 8:59. This part of verse John 12:36 begins a new paragraph.