John 2:16

John 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
• New International Version (NIV)To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

Context of John 2:16

14In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” 17Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” 18But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

John 2:16 word by word

καὶ τοῖς τὰς περιστερὰς πωλοῦσιν εἶπεν· ἄρατε ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν, μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto them that soldπωλέωpōleō · to sellG4453
• dovesπεριστεράperistera · doveG4058
• Takeαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• henceἐντεῦθεν, ἔνθενenteuthen · from hereG1782
• makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• notμήmē · notG3361
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Father’sπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
• of merchandiseἐμπόριονemporion · marketplace/tradeG1712

Cross-references for John 2:16

• Isaiah 56:5I will give them—within the walls of my house— a memorial and a name far greater than sons and daughters could give. For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear!
• Jeremiah 7:11Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken!
• Hosea 12:7But no, the people are like crafty merchants selling from dishonest scales— they love to cheat.
• Matthew 21:13He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
• Mark 11:17He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
• Acts 19:24It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy.
• 1 Timothy 6:5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
• 2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.
• John 5:17But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
• John 8:49“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me.
• John 10:29for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
• John 20:17“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
• Luke 2:49“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Commentaries on John 2:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 The first public work in which we find Christ engaged, was driving from the temple the traders whom the covetous priests and rulers encouraged to make a market-place of its courts. Those now make God's house a house of merchandise, whose minds are filled with cares about worldly business when attending religious exercises, or who perform Divine offices for love of gain. Christ, having thus cleansed the temple, gave a sign to those who…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17Many people came to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. They needed animals that met the requirements for sacrifice. The animals had to be approved for worship. Because of this need, a large business developed. People sold animals and exchanged money for the right kind of coins. However, this buying and selling was taking place in the temple itself. Jesus acted like a prophet. He demanded that God’s house return to its true purpose. The temple was meant…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2514-17. in the temple--not the temple itself, as Joh 2:19-21, but the temple-court. sold oxen, &c.--for the convenience of those who had to offer them in sacrifice. changers of money--of Roman into Jewish money, in which the temple dues (see on Mt 17:24) had to be paid.Read the comment

Topics related to John 2:16

• Church
• Covetousness
• God
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sacrilege
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Fill
• Hour
• Propitiation
• Scourge
• Syriac
• Temple
• Testify
• Debt; Debtor
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Father's House, Fathers' House

Commentaries on John 2

• 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
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings