To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!”
Parallel translations
- KJV And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
- BSB To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”
- NKJV And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
- NASB and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away from here; stop making My Father’s house a place of business!”
- NLT 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!”
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
Jesus commands that the doves be removed and that His Father's house not be made a marketplace. He claims a unique relationship to God and zeal for true worship.
Overview
Calling the temple 'my Father's house,' Jesus implicitly asserts His divine sonship while rebuking the commercialization of worship. His concern is that the place set apart for God has become a market. The cleansing reveals both His authority and His passion that God be honored rightly, pointing ahead to the worship 'in spirit and truth' He will establish.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 21:13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
- Jer 7:11Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says Yahweh.
- Mark 11:17He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers!”
- Isa 56:5–11I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name, that will not be cut off.
- Luke 2:49He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
- 2 Pet 2:14–15having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing;
- Hos 12:7–8A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud.
- John 5:17But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”
- 2 Pet 2:3In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
- John 20:17Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
- 1 Tim 6:5constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
- Acts 19:24–27For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,
- John 10:29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
- John 8:49Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:16 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.