John 2:16

John 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
• New International Version (NIV)To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

Context of John 2:16

14And in the temple [enclosure] He found the people who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at their tables. 15He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; then to those who sold the doves He said, “Take these things away! Stop making My Father’s house a place of commerce!” 17His disciples remembered that it is written [in the Scriptures], “Zeal (love, concern) for Your house [and its honor] will consume Me.” 18Then the Jews retorted, “What sign (attesting miracle) can You show us as [proof of] your authority for doing these things?”

John 2:16 word by word

καὶ τοῖς τὰς περιστερὰς πωλοῦσιν εἶπεν· ἄρατε ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν, μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto them that soldπωλέωpōleō · to sellG4453
• dovesπεριστεράperistera · doveG4058
• Takeαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• henceἐντεῦθεν, ἔνθενenteuthen · from hereG1782
• makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• notμήmē · notG3361
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Father’sπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
• of merchandiseἐμπόριονemporion · marketplace/tradeG1712

Cross-references for John 2:16

• Isaiah 56:5To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.
• Jeremiah 7:11Has this house, which is called by My Name, become a den of robbers in your eyes [a place of retreat for you between acts of violence]? Behold, I Myself have seen it,” says the Lord.
• Hosea 12:7A merchant, in whose hand are false and fraudulent balances; He loves to oppress and exploit.
• Matthew 21:13Jesus said to them, “It is written [in Scripture], ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”
• Mark 11:17He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”
• Acts 19:24Now a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis (Diana), was bringing no small profit to the craftsmen.
• 1 Timothy 6:5and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].
• 2 Peter 2:3And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. Their sentence [of condemnation which God has decreed] from a time long ago is not idle [but is still in force], and their destruction and deepening misery is not asleep [but is on its way].
• John 5:17But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working.”
• John 8:49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
• John 10:29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
• John 20:17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
• Luke 2:49And He answered, “Why did you have to look for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

Commentaries on John 2:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 The first public work in which we find Christ engaged, was driving from the temple the traders whom the covetous priests and rulers encouraged to make a market-place of its courts. Those now make God's house a house of merchandise, whose minds are filled with cares about worldly business when attending religious exercises, or who perform Divine offices for love of gain. Christ, having thus cleansed the temple, gave a sign to those who…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17Many people came to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. They needed animals that met the requirements for sacrifice. The animals had to be approved for worship. Because of this need, a large business developed. People sold animals and exchanged money for the right kind of coins. However, this buying and selling was taking place in the temple itself. Jesus acted like a prophet. He demanded that God’s house return to its true purpose. The temple was meant…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2514-17. in the temple--not the temple itself, as Joh 2:19-21, but the temple-court. sold oxen, &c.--for the convenience of those who had to offer them in sacrifice. changers of money--of Roman into Jewish money, in which the temple dues (see on Mt 17:24) had to be paid.Read the comment

Topics related to John 2:16

• Church
• Covetousness
• God
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sacrilege
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Fill
• Hour
• Propitiation
• Scourge
• Syriac
• Temple
• Testify
• Debt; Debtor
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Father's House, Fathers' House

Commentaries on John 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings