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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Context of John 5:39

37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41“I do not accept glory from human beings,

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 5:46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
• John 7:52They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” [The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]
• Deuteronomy 11:18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
• Deuteronomy 17:18When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests.
• Joshua 1:8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
• Psalms 1:2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
• Psalms 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
• Proverbs 6:23For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
• Proverbs 8:33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
• Isaiah 8:20Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
• Isaiah 34:16Look in the scroll of the Lord and read: None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, and his Spirit will gather them together.
• Jeremiah 8:9The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do they have?
• Matthew 22:29Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
• Mark 12:10Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
• Luke 16:29“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
• Acts 8:32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did 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