But he spake of the temple of his body.
Parallel translations
- WEB But he spoke of the temple of his body.
- BSB But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.
- NKJV But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
- NASB But He was speaking about the temple of His body.
- NLT But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body.
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
John explains that Jesus was speaking of the temple of His body. The true meaning of Jesus' words points to His resurrection.
Overview
The Evangelist clarifies that the 'temple' Jesus referred to was His own body, which would die and rise. This interpretation, understood fully only after the resurrection (v. 22), reveals Jesus Himself as the place where God meets humanity. He is the true temple, fulfilling and surpassing the building made with hands.
Cross-references & the web
Theme
- The Temple & God's Presence"He was speaking about the temple of his body."
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Cor 6:19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
- 1 Cor 3:16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
- Heb 8:2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
- Col 2:9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
- Col 1:19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
- Eph 2:20–22And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
- 2 Cor 6:16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- 1 Pet 2:4–5To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
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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 2:21 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
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