But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
Parallel translations
- WEB However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
- KJV Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
- NKJV However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
- NASB However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
- NLT But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”
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
They object that they know where Jesus is from, whereas the Christ's origin will be unknown. A popular expectation about the Messiah becomes a stumbling block to faith.
Overview
Drawing on a contemporary belief that the Messiah's origin would be hidden, the people dismiss Jesus because they think they know He is from Nazareth. Their confidence in surface knowledge blinds them to His true origin from the Father. Ironically, they are right that they do not know where He is ultimately from, for His deepest origin is heaven, not Galilee.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Mic 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
- John 7:41–42Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?
- John 9:29We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”
- John 6:42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
- Matt 13:54–57Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.
- Jer 30:21Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Matt 2:5–6“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
- Luke 4:22All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
- Isa 11:1Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- Jer 23:5Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- John 7:15The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”
- Isa 53:8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
- Acts 8:33In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
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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 7:27 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.