Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
Parallel translations
- WEB However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
- BSB But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
- 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 thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
- John 7:41–42Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
- John 9:29We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
- John 6:42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
- Matt 13:54–57And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
- Jer 30:21And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.
- Mark 6:3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
- Matt 2:5–6And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
- Luke 4:22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
- Isa 11:1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
- Jer 23:5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
- John 7:15And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
- Isa 53:8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
- Acts 8:33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken 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.