God’s Word Translation
John 5:31
31“If I testify on my own behalf, what I say isn’t true.
John 5:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
- New International Version (NIV)“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
Context of John 5:31
29and they will come out of their tombs. Those who have done good will come back to life and live. But those who have done evil will come back to life and will be judged. 30I can’t do anything on my own. As I listen ⌞to the Father⌟, I make my judgments. My judgments are right because I don’t try to do what I want but what the one who sent me wants. “If I testify on my own behalf, what I say isn’t true. 32Someone else testifies on my behalf, and I know that what he says about me is true. 33You sent people to John ⌞the Baptizer⌟, and he testified to the truth.
Read all of John 5John 5:31 word by word
Ἐὰν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἡ μαρτυρία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 5:31
- John 8:13The Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn’t true.”
- Proverbs 27:2Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, from a stranger and not from your own lips.
- Revelation 3:14“To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: The amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the source of God’s creation, says:
Commentaries on John 5:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31If I bear witness - If I had no proof to bring of my being the Messiah, and equal to God, common sense would direct you to reject my testimony; but the mighty power of God, by which I work my miracles, sufficiently attests that my pretensions are well founded. Bishop Pearce gives a different turn to this verse, by translating it interrogatively, thus: "If I only bear witness of myself, is not my witness true? i.e. is it, on that account, not true? In John…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31If I bear witness of myself - If I have no other evidence than my own testimony about myself. My witness - My testimony; my evidence. The proof would not be decisive. Is not true - The word “true,” here, means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence. See Matthew 22:16; “We Know that thou art true” - that is, worthy of confidence, or that thou hast been truly sent from God, Luke 20:21; John 8:13, John 8:17. The law did not admit a man to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-38Verses 30-38 Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had higher testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said. But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as they refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-40God's law requires more than one witness in a trial (Deuteronomy 17:6). A single person’s word is not enough to prove a case. Jesus recognized this principle. He said that his own testimony needed support from others. So he presented several witnesses who confirmed who he was. These witnesses supported his claims and showed that his message was true.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 30-3230-32. of mine own self do nothing--that is, apart from the Father, or in any interest than My own. (See on Joh 5:19). as I hear--that is, "My judgments are all anticipated in the bosom of My Father, to which I have immediate access, and by Me only responded to and reflected. They cannot therefore err, as I live for one end only, to carry into effect the will of Him that sent Me."Read the comment
Topics related to John 5:31
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries