“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
- KJV Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
- NKJV “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
- NASB “Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”
- NLT “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.
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
Nicodemus asks whether their law condemns a man without first hearing him and learning what he has done. He appeals for due process and fairness toward Jesus.
Overview
Nicodemus reminds his colleagues that the law itself requires a fair hearing before judgment, exposing their rush to condemn Jesus. His appeal to justice quietly challenges the prejudice of the council. This courageous, if measured, defense shows the law rightly applied would protect Jesus, whom they were determined to reject.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Deut 1:17Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
- Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
- Deut 19:15–19A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Deut 17:6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
- Deut 17:8–11If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
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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 7:51 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.