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Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!
John 9:28 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
  • KJV Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.
  • BSB Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses.
  • ESV And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
  • NKJV Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.
  • NASB They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

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

The leaders insult him, claiming they are disciples of Moses while he follows Jesus. They set Moses against Jesus.

Overview

Stung by his boldness, the Pharisees revile the man and align themselves with Moses against Jesus. Ironically, Moses wrote of Christ (John 5:46), so true loyalty to Moses would lead to faith in Jesus. The verse exposes how clinging to tradition apart from Christ misreads the very Scriptures it claims to honor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 1 Cor 4:12We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
  • 1 Cor 6:10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom.
  • Rom 2:17Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
  • John 7:47–52The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you?
  • Matt 27:39Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,
  • Acts 6:11–14Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
  • Isa 51:7“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: Don’t fear the reproach of men, and don’t be dismayed at their insults.
  • 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
  • John 7:19Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?”
  • John 9:34They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.
  • John 5:45–47“Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope.
  • Matt 5:11“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 9:28YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 9:28 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.