“If You are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe.
Parallel translations
- WEB “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe,
- KJV Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
- NKJV “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe.
- NASB “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe;
- NLT and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?” But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.
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
Asked if He is the Christ, Jesus replies that if He tells them they will not believe. He exposes their hardened unbelief.
Overview
The council demands whether Jesus claims to be the Messiah, but He knows their minds are already closed. His answer reveals that their question is not a sincere search for truth. The exchange shows how unbelief refuses to be persuaded even by the truth standing before it.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- John 10:24–26So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
- Matt 11:3–5to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
- Luke 16:31Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
- John 12:37–43Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him.
- John 5:39–47You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
- John 8:43–45Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
- Mark 14:61–66But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
- Matt 26:63–68But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
- John 9:27–28He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
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
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 22:67 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.