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.
• New International Version (NIV)You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about 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.

Context of John 5:39

37And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. 41“Your approval means nothing to me,

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 really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
• John 7:52They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!” ---------- [The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53–8:11.]
• Deuteronomy 11:18“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.
• Deuteronomy 17:18“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
• Joshua 1:8Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
• Psalms 1:2But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
• Psalms 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
• Proverbs 6:23For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.
• Proverbs 8:33Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.
• Isaiah 8:20Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
• Isaiah 34:16Search the book of the Lord, and see what he will do. Not one of these birds and animals will be missing, and none will lack a mate, for the Lord has promised this. His Spirit will make it all come true.
• Jeremiah 8:9These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the Lord. Are they so wise after all?
• Matthew 22:29Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.
• Mark 12:10Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
• Luke 16:29“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’
• Acts 8:32The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, 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