John 5:39

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

37The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen his form. 38You don’t have his word residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent. You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. 40But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life. 41“I do not accept glory from people,

John 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 Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
• John 7:52“You aren’t from Galilee too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” [The earliest mss do not include 7:53–8:11.] [
• Deuteronomy 11:18“Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads.
• Deuteronomy 17:18When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
• Joshua 1:8This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.
• Psalms 1:2Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
• Psalms 119:11I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
• Proverbs 6:23For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.
• Proverbs 8:33Listen to instruction and be wise; don’t ignore it.
• Isaiah 8:20Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.
• Isaiah 34:16Search and read the scroll of the Lord: Not one of them will be missing, none will be lacking its mate, because he has ordered it by my mouth, and he will gather them by his Spirit.
• Jeremiah 8:9The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and snared. They have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom do they really have?
• Matthew 22:29Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God.
• Mark 12:10Haven’t you read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
• Luke 16:29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’
• Acts 8:32Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, 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

• Immortality
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Eternal life
• Search the Scriptures
• Folk
• Judgment
• Lest
• Life
• Light
• Messiah
• Step
• Trouble

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