John 5:31
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
John 5:31 in other translations
| BSB | If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. |
|---|---|
| WEB | “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. |
| ASV | If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. |
| YLT | ‘If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true; |
| DARBY | If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true. |
| BBE | If I gave witness about myself, my witness would not be true. |
| Webster | If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true. |
What does John 5:31 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 5:30-32
30-32. of mine own self do nothing--that is, apart from the Father, or in any interest than My own. (See on Joh 5:19). as I hear--that is, "My judgments are all anticipated in the bosom of My Father, to which I have immediate access, and by Me only responded to and reflected. They cannot therefore err, as I live for one end only, to carry into effect the will of Him that sent Me."
Barnes' Notes
My witness. My testimony; my evidence, The proof would not be decisive.
Is not true. The word true. here, means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence. See Mt 22:16: "We know that thou art true"--that is, worthy of confidence, or that thou hast been truly sent from God, Lk 20:21; Jn 8:13,17. The law did not admit a man to testify in his own case, but required two witnesses, De 17:6. Though what Jesus said true Jn 8:13,17, yet he admitted it was not sufficient testimony alone to claim their belief. They had a right to expect that his statement that he came from God would be confirmed by other evidence. This evidence he gave in the miracles which he wrought as proof that God had sent him.
(d) "If I bear witness" Ps 27:2, Jn 8:14, Rev 3:14
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 5:30-38
Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had higher testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said. But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as they refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the…
John 5:31 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for John 5:31
- Proverbs 27:2
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
- John 8:54
Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
- Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
- John 8:13-14
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- John 5:30
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
- John 5:31
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
- John 5:32
There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
John 5:31 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Si yo doy testimonio de mí mismo, mi testimonio no es verdadero. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Si moi je rends témoignage de moi-même, mon témoignage n’est pas vrai. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wenn ich von mir selbst zeuge, so ist mein Zeugnis nicht wahr. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Si ego testimonium perhibeo de meipso, testimonium meum non est verum. |