If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
Parallel translations
- WEB If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- BSB If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
- NKJV If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- NASB If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- NLT They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Had Jesus not come and spoken, the people would not be guilty of this sin, but now they have no excuse. Rejecting Christ's clear revelation deepens guilt.
Overview
Jesus' coming and teaching brought decisive light, removing any excuse for unbelief. Their continued rejection is therefore a culpable sin against revealed truth. This does not mean they were sinless before, but that rejecting the revelation given in Christ brings a heightened and inexcusable guilt, underscoring the seriousness of responding to the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 9:41Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
- Jas 4:17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
- Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
- Rom 1:20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
- John 12:48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
- Ezek 33:31–33And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
- Heb 6:4–8For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
- John 3:18–21He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- 1 Pet 2:16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
- Ezek 2:5And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
- 2 Cor 2:14–16Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
- Luke 12:46The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
- Rom 2:1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
- John 19:11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 15:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.