Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Parallel translations
- KJV These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
- BSB He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
- ESV These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
- NKJV These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.
- NASB These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.
- NLT Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Jesus spoke these words in the treasury while teaching in the temple, yet no one arrested Him because His hour had not come. Divine timing again shielded Him.
Overview
John notes the public setting of Jesus' bold teaching and reiterates that His enemies could not seize Him before the appointed time. The recurring theme of Jesus' 'hour' emphasizes that His arrest and death would occur according to the Father's plan, not human initiative. This assures readers that even amid mounting hostility, God remained sovereignly in control.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 7:30They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
- Mark 12:41Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.
- John 7:8You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”
- Mark 12:43He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,
- Matt 27:6The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
- John 7:44Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.
- Luke 20:19The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people — for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
- Luke 13:31–33On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”
- John 8:59Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
- John 10:39They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
- John 11:9–10Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
- 1 Chr 9:26for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 8:20 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.