However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
Parallel translations
- KJV Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
- 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 you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
- John 7:41–42Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee?
- John 9:29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.”
- John 6:42They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’”
- Matt 13:54–57Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?
- Jer 30:21Their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from among them. I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach to me; for who is he who has had boldness to approach to me?” says Yahweh.
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him.
- Matt 2:5–6They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
- Luke 4:22All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
- Isa 11:1A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.
- Jer 23:5“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
- John 7:15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”
- Isa 53:8He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?
- Acts 8:33In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will 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.