“Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”
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?
- BSB “Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- NKJV “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
- 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 gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
- Deut 1:17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”
- Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
- Deut 19:15–19One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
- Deut 17:6At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
- Deut 17:8–11If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.
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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 7:51 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
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