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

15(John declared the truth about him when he said loudly, “This is the person about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ”) 16Each of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is. Laws were given through Moses, but kindness and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known. 19This was John’s answer 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 5:45“Don’t think that I will accuse you in the presence of the Father. Moses, the one you trust, is already accusing you.
• John 9:29We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man came from.”
• Exodus 20:1Then God spoke all these words:
• Deuteronomy 4:44This is what Moses taught the people of Israel.
• Deuteronomy 5:1Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Israel, listen to the laws and rules I’m telling you today. Learn them and faithfully obey them.
• Deuteronomy 33:4Moses gave us these teachings. They belong to the assembly of Jacob.
• Acts 7:38This is the Moses who was in the assembly in the desert. Our ancestors and the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai were there with him. Moses received life-giving messages to give to us,
• Acts 28:23On a designated day a larger number of influential Jews ⌞than expected⌟ went to the place where Paul was staying. From morning until evening, Paul was explaining God’s kingdom to them. He was trying to convince them about Jesus from Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets.
• Romans 3:19We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God.
• Romans 5:20The laws in Moses’ Teachings were added to increase the failure. But where sin increased, God’s kindness increased even more.
• 2 Corinthians 3:7The ministry that brought death was inscribed on stone. Yet, it came with such glory that the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face. His face was shining with glory, even though that glory was fading.
• Galatians 3:10Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.”
• Hebrews 3:5Moses was a faithful servant in God’s household. He told ⌞the people⌟ what God would say in the future.
• Hebrews 8:8But God found something wrong with his people and said to them, “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new promise to Israel and Judah.
• John 8:32You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• John 14:6Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes 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