John 7:28

7:28 Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, ¹  cried out, ²  “You both know me and know where I come from! ³  And I have not come on my own initiative, ⁴  but the one who sent me ⁵  is true. You do not know him, ⁶ 

John 5:31

More Testimony About Jesus

5:31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.

John 12:32

12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people ⁷  to myself.”

John 17:19

17:19 And I set myself apart ⁸  on their behalf, ⁹  so that they too may be truly set apart. ¹⁰ 

[7:28]  ¹ tn Grk “the temple.”

[7:28]  ² tn Grk “Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying.”

[7:28]  ³ sn You both know me and know where I come from! Jesus’ response while teaching in the temple is difficult – it appears to concede too much understanding to his opponents. It is best to take the words as irony: “So you know me and know where I am from, do you?” On the physical, literal level, they did know where he was from: Nazareth of Galilee (at least they thought they knew). But on another deeper (spiritual) level, they did not: He came from heaven, from the Father. Jesus insisted that he has not come on his own initiative (cf. 5:37), but at the bidding of the Father who sent him.

[7:28]  ⁴ tn Grk “And I have not come from myself.”

[7:28]  ⁵ tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.

[7:28]  ⁶ tn Grk “the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.”

[12:32]  ⁷ tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).

[17:19]  ⁸ tn Or “I sanctify.”

[17:19]  ⁹ tn Or “for their sake.”

[17:19]  ¹⁰ tn Or “they may be truly consecrated,” or “they may be truly sanctified.”