John 2:20

John 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
• New International Version (NIV)They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

Context of John 2:20

18Then the Jews retorted, “What sign (attesting miracle) can You show us as [proof of] your authority for doing these things?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and You will raise it up in three days?” 21But He was speaking of the temple which was His body. 22So when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. And they believed and trusted in and relied on the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

John 2:20 word by word

εἶπαν οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· τεσσεράκοντα καὶ ἓξ ἔτεσιν οἰκοδομήθη ὁ ναὸς οὗτος, καὶ σὺ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερεῖς αὐτόν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• Fortyτεσσαράκονταtessarakonta · fortyG5062
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• sixἕξhex · sixG1803
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
• wasοἰκοδομέωoikodomeō · to buildG3618
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• templeναόςnaos · templeG3485
• wiltἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• it upαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250

Commentaries on John 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Forty and six years was this temple in building - The temple of which the Jews spake was begun to be rebuilt by Herod the Great, in the 18th year of his reign: Josephus. Ant. b. xv. c. 11, s. 1; and xx. c. 9, s. 5, 7. But though he finished the main work in nine years and a half, yet some additional buildings or repairs were constantly carried on for many years afterwards. Herod began the work sixteen years before the birth of our Lord: the transactions…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Then said the Jews … - The Jews, either from the ambiguity of his language, or more probably from a design to cavil, understood him as speaking of the temple at Jerusalem. What he said here is all the evidence that they could adduce on his trial Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58, and they reproached him with it when on the cross, Matthew 27:40. The Jews frequently perverted our Saviour‘s meaning. The language which he used was often that of parables or metaphor…Read the comment
• 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. 19-21Destroy this temple: Herod the Great started rebuilding the temple's grand structure in 20 BC. The work continued until AD 64. This is why Jesus amazed his audience when he claimed he could destroy and rebuild it in a few days. However, Jesus was speaking figuratively (using a word picture) about his own body. He described his body as the true temple, the place where God was present (see 1:14, 51). His body would be destroyed. Three days later, God would…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2218-22. What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?--Though the act and the words of Christ, taken together, were sign enough, they were unconvinced: yet they were awed, and though at His very next appearance at Jerusalem they "sought to kill Him" for speaking of "His Father" just as He did now (Joh 5:18), they, at this early stage, only ask a sign.Read the comment

Topics related to John 2:20

• Jesus, the Christ
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Fill
• Herod the Great
• Hour
• Palestine
• Propitiation
• Resurrection of Christ
• Scourge
• Syriac
• Testify
• Chronology of the New Testament

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