25Then some of the Jerusalemites were saying, "Is this not the man they are seeking to kill? [7:26] And look — he is speaking with boldness and freedom, and they are saying nothing to him. Have the rulers truly come to know that this is the Christ? [7:27] But we know where this man is from; yet when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from." [7:28] Jesus therefore cried out in the temple as he was teaching and said, "You both know me and know where I am from — and I have not come of myself. But the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know. [7:29] I know him, because I am from him and he sent me." [7:30] They were then seeking to seize him, and yet no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. [7:31] But many of the crowd believed in him and said, "When the Christ comes, he will not do more signs than this man has done, will he?" [7:32] The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to seize him. [7:33] Jesus therefore said, "I am with you for a little while yet, and then I go to the one who sent me. [7:34] You will seek me and will not find me — and where I am, you cannot come." [7:35] The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Where is this man about to go, that we will not find him? He is not about to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he? [7:36] What is this word he said: 'You will seek me and will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"
JHN 7:25-36
Is Jesus the Christ?
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Jerusalem, public discourse in the temple was a charged environment, especially during festivals. The temple was not just a religious center but a political and social hub where debates about messianic expectations were common. The crowd’s confusion about Jesus’ identity reflects the widespread Jewish expectation that the Messiah’s origins would be mysterious or divine, as seen in texts like Enoch and 4 Ezra. The term (boldness) underscores Jesus’ audacity in speaking openly in such a volatile setting, where Roman authorities and Jewish leaders closely monitored potential insurrections. The crowd’s skepticism—'we know where this man is from'—reveals their assumption that the Messiah would not emerge from familiar, humble origins like Galilee. Jesus’ claim to be sent by the 'One whom you do not know' challenges their understanding of divine revelation and aligns with Jewish apocalyptic traditions where true knowledge of God is hidden from the unrighteous. This tension highlights the clash between Jesus’ self-revelation and the crowd’s messianic expectations.
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How other translations render this
JHN 7:25
- KJV
- Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
- BSB
- Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to say, “Isnʼt this the man they are trying to kill?
- Koinōnos
- Then some of the Jerusalemites were saying, "Is this not the man they are seeking to kill?
JHN 7:26
- KJV
- But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
- BSB
- Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him. Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ?
- Koinōnos
- And look — he is speaking with boldness and freedom, and they are saying nothing to him. Have the rulers truly come to know that this is the Christ?
JHN 7:27
- KJV
- Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
- BSB
- But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
- Koinōnos
- But we know where this man is from; yet when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.
JHN 7:28
- KJV
- Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
- BSB
- Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him,
- Koinōnos
- Jesus therefore cried out in the temple as he was teaching and said, "You both know me and know where I am from — and I have not come of myself. But the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.
JHN 7:29
- KJV
- But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
- BSB
- but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”
- Koinōnos
- I know him, because I am from him and he sent me.
JHN 7:30
- KJV
- Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
- BSB
- So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
- Koinōnos
- They were then seeking to seize him, and yet no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
JHN 7:31
- KJV
- And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
- BSB
- Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”
- Koinōnos
- But many of the crowd believed in him and said, "When the Christ comes, he will not do more signs than this man has done, will he?
JHN 7:32
- KJV
- The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
- BSB
- When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him.
- Koinōnos
- The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to seize him.
JHN 7:33
- KJV
- Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
- BSB
- So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus therefore said, "I am with you for a little while yet, and then I go to the one who sent me.
JHN 7:34
- KJV
- Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
- BSB
- You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
- Koinōnos
- You will seek me and will not find me — and where I am, you cannot come.
JHN 7:35
- KJV
- Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
- BSB
- At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
- Koinōnos
- The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Where is this man about to go, that we will not find him? He is not about to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he?
JHN 7:36
- KJV
- What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
- BSB
- What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
- Koinōnos
- What is this word he said: 'You will seek me and will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 7:26
- publicly:The word translated 'publicly' here means with boldness and freedom of speech, implying an open and unreserved declaration, not just in public view.
JHN 7:28
- I am;:The phrase 'I am' here echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in the Old Testament, carrying a profound theological weight of self-existence and eternal being.
JHN 7:32
- murmuring:The word translated 'murmuring' describes a low, grumbling sound of discontent or complaint, often made under one's breath or in secret.
JHN 7:35
- Dispersion:The term 'Dispersion' refers specifically to Jewish communities living outside of the land of Israel, scattered among Gentile nations.