Amplified Bible
John 5:39
39You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me;
John 5:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
- New International Version (NIV)You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
- English Standard Version (ESV)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
- New King James Version (NKJV)You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
Context of John 5:39
37And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form [His majesty and greatness—what He is like]. 38You do not have His word (Scripture) abiding in you [actually living in your hearts and minds], because you do not believe in Him whom He has sent. You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me; 40and still you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41I do not receive glory and approval from men;
Read all of John 5John 5:39 word by word
ἐραυνᾶτε τὰς γραφάς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν αὐταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν· καὶ ἐκεῖναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Searchἐρευνάωereunaō · to look for/intoG2045
- the scripturesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the scripturesγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- thinkδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
- ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- theyἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- they which testifyμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
- ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for John 5:39
- John 5:46For if you believed and relied on [the Scriptures written by] Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me [personally].
- John 7:52They responded, “Are you also from Galilee? Search [and read the Scriptures], and see [for yourself] that no prophet comes from Galilee!”
- Deuteronomy 11:18“Therefore, you shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul, and tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bands (frontals, frontlets) on your forehead.
- Deuteronomy 17:18“Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
- Joshua 1:8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.
- Psalms 1:2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.
- Psalms 119:11Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
- Proverbs 6:23For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching [of the law] is light, And reproofs (rebukes) for discipline are the way of life,
- Proverbs 8:33Heed (pay attention to) instruction and be wise, And do not ignore or neglect it.
- Isaiah 8:20[Direct those people] to the law and to the testimony! If their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is because they have no dawn.
- Isaiah 34:16Seek from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these [creatures] will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them.
- Jeremiah 8:9The wise men are shamed, They are dismayed and caught. Behold, they have [manipulated and] rejected the [truth in the] word of the Lord, And what kind of wisdom and insight do they have?
- Matthew 22:29But Jesus replied to them, “You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead].
- Mark 12:10Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders regarded as unworthy and rejected, This [very stone] has become the chief Cornerstone
- Luke 16:29But Abraham said, ‘They have [the Scriptures given by] Moses and the [writings of the] Prophets; let them listen to them.’
- Acts 8:32Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: “Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.
Commentaries on John 5:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Search the Scriptures - . This should be translated, not in the imperative, but in the indicative mood - thus, Ye search the Scriptures diligently. That these words are commonly read in the imperative mood is sufficiently known; but this reading can never accord well with the following verse, nor can the force and energy of the words be perceived by this version. The rabbins strongly recommend the study of the Scriptures. The Talmud, Tract. Shabbath, fol…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39Search the scriptures - The word translated “search” here means to “search diligently” or “search anxiously.” It was applied to miners, who search for precious metals - who look anxiously for the “bed” of the ore with an intensity or anxiety proportionate to “their sense” of the value of the metal. Compare the notes at Job 28:3. It is applied by Homer to a lioness robbed of her whelps, and who “searches” the plain to “trace out” the footsteps of the man…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 39-44Verses 39-44 The Jews considered that eternal life was revealed to them in their Scriptures, and that they had it, because they had the word of God in their hands. Jesus urged them to search those Scriptures with more diligence and attention. "Ye do search the Scriptures," and ye do well to do so. They did indeed search the Scriptures, but it was with a view to their own glory. It is possible for men to be very studious in the letter of the Scriptures…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39-40The fourth witness of Jesus was the Scriptures. The Old Testament pointed to the Messiah, and Jesus fulfilled its prophecies (see Luke 24:25–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-4239-42. Search the scriptures, &c.--"In the Scriptures ye find your charter of eternal life; go search them then, and you will find that I am the Great Burden of their testimony; yet ye will not come to Me for that life eternal which you profess to find there, and of which they tell you I am the appointed Dispenser." (Compare Ac 17:11, 12). How touching and gracious are these last words! Observe here (1) The honor which Christ gives to the Scriptures, as a…Read the comment
Topics related to John 5:39
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 5
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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