John 1:17

John 1:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Context of John 1:17

15John told people about the Word. He shouted, ‘This is the man that I told you about. He comes after me. But he is greater than I am. He was already there before I was born.’ 16The Word is full of everything that we need. We have all received one good thing after another good thing. God gave his Law to us through Moses. But Jesus Christ brought God's grace and his truth to us. 18Nobody has ever seen God. But God's only Son has shown God to us. He is very near to the Father, and he himself is God. 19The Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John, ‘Who are you?’

John 1:17 word by word

ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• cameγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for John 1:17

• John 5:45But I will not have to tell the Father that you are guilty. No, it is Moses who will do that. You think that Moses is the one who will show that you are right. But he is the one who will show that you are guilty.
• John 9:29We know that God spoke to Moses. But who is this man? We do not even know where he comes from.’
• Exodus 20:1Then God spoke all these words:
• Deuteronomy 4:44This is God's Law that Moses explained to the Israelites.
• Deuteronomy 5:1Moses called all the Israelites to come together. He said to them: Listen, Israelites, to the rules and commands that I am teaching to you today. Learn them. Be careful to obey them.
• Deuteronomy 33:4Moses gave us the Lord's teaching. It is very valuable to us, the descendants of Jacob.
• Acts 7:38This is the same Moses who was leader of our people in the wilderness. He was there with our ancestors when the angel spoke to him on Sinai mountain. He received the message from God to give to us. Those words from God bring life to us.
• Acts 28:23So the Jewish leaders in Rome chose a day to meet again with Paul. When that day arrived, a large number of Jews came to the house where Paul was staying. Paul talked to them from the morning until the evening. He explained his message about the kingdom of God. He showed them what Moses and the other prophets had written in the Bible. He tried to show them that Jesus was God's special Messiah.
• Romans 3:19So, we know that God's Law belongs to the Jews. God told them to obey everything that his Law teaches. As a result, nobody can say: ‘God should not punish me.’ Everybody in the world must stand in front of God and he will judge them.
• Romans 5:20God gave his Law to Moses to show more clearly that people were doing wrong things. But when people did more and more wrong things, God continued to be kind in more and more ways.
• 2 Corinthians 3:7Moses wrote the words of the old agreement on pieces of stone. It showed how great and powerful God was. Moses' face shone brightly after God spoke to him. It did not stay bright, but the Israelite people still could not look at Moses' face. The old agreement that brought death was powerful.
• Galatians 3:10But some people try to obey all the rules of God's Law. They think that they will become right with God if they do this very well. But God will speak against people like that and he will punish them. It is written in the Bible: ‘God will punish everyone who does not always obey all the rules in his Law completely.’
• Hebrews 3:5We say that Moses served God well, like a servant in God's house. He took care of all God's people. In this way, Moses showed clearly the message that God would speak later.
• Hebrews 8:8But God did find something wrong with it. As a result, he said this to his people: ‘Listen to this! The Lord says: A time will come when I make a new agreement with my people. That is, with Israel's people and with Judah's people.
• John 8:32Then you will know what is true. And that will make you free.’
• John 14:6Jesus answered, ‘I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. Nobody comes to the Father except by me.

Commentaries on John 1:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The law was given by Moses - Moses received the law from God, and through him it was given to the Jews, Acts 7:38. But grace and truth - Which he had already mentioned, and which were to be the subject of the book which he was now writing, came to all mankind through Jesus Christ, who is the mediator of the new covenant, as Moses was of the old: Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:15; Galatians 3:19. See a fine discourse on this text by Mr. Claude, "Essay on the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The law was given - The Old Testament economy. The institutions under which the Jews lived. By Moses - By Moses, as the servant of God. He was the great legislator of the Jews, by whom, under God, their polity was formed. The law worketh wrath Romans 4:15; it was attended with many burdensome rites and ceremonies Acts 15:10; it was preparatory to another state of things. The gospel succeeded that and took its place, and thus showed the greatness of the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after John, but in every other way he was before him. The expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before he appeared on earth as man. All fulness dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17the law: This refers to the Torah, the body of instruction given to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Torah taught Israel how to live in faithful relationship with God and with one another. God's grace and truth are present in the Torah, but Jesus fully reveals these qualities in his person and power (3:16; 13:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. For, &c.--The Law elicits the consciousness of sin and the need of redemption; it only typifies the reality. The Gospel, on the contrary, actually communicates reality and power from above (compare Ro 6:14). Hence Paul terms the Old Testament "shadow," while he calls the New Testament "substance" (Col 2:17) [Olshausen].Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:17

• Confession
• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law
• Truth
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Moses
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Jesus Christ
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell

Commentaries on John 1

• 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