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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• New Living Translation (NLT)For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

Context of John 1:17

15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. 19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "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 5:45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope.
• John 9:29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."
• Exodus 20:1And God spoke all these words, saying,
• Deuteronomy 4:44This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel.
• Deuteronomy 5:1And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.
• Deuteronomy 33:4when Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
• Acts 7:38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.
• Acts 28:23When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
• Romans 5:20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
• 2 Corinthians 3:7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,
• Galatians 3:10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."
• Hebrews 3:5Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
• Hebrews 8:8For he finds fault with them when he says: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
• John 8:32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
• John 14:6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through 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