John 7 · Verse 16

John 7:16

Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
John 7:16, King James Version

John 7:16 in other translations

BSB“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.
WEBJesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.
ASVJesus therefore answered them, and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.
YLTJesus answered them and said, ‘My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me;
DARBYJesus therefore answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but that of him that has sent me.
BBEJesus gave them this answer: It is not my teaching, but his who sent me.
WebsterJesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

What does John 7:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 7:16-18
16-18. doctrine ... not mine, &c.--that is, from Myself unauthorized; I am here by commission.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. My doctrine. My teaching, or what I teach. This is the proper meaning of the word doctrine. It is what is taught us, and, as applied to religion, it is what is taught us by God in the holy Scriptures.

Is not mine. It is not originated by me. Though I have not learned in your schools, yet you are not to infer that the doctrine which I teach is devised or invented by me. I teach nothing that is contrary to the will of God, and which he has not ap- pointed me to teach.

His that sent me. God's. It is such as he approves, and such as he has commissioned me to teach. The doctrine is divine in its origin and in its nature.

(h) "not mine" Jn 8:28, 12:49

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 My doctrine is not mine - Our blessed Lord, in the character of Messiah, might as well say, My doctrine is not mine, as an ambassador might say, I speak not my own words, but his who sent me: and he speaks these words to draw the attention of the Jews from the teaching of man to the teaching of God; and to show them that he was the promised Messiah, the very person on whom, according to the prophet, (Isa 11:2), the Spirit of Jehovah - the Spirit of wisdom, counsel, understanding, might, and knowledge, should rest.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 7:14-24

Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be…

Read the full comment on John 7:14-24 →

John 7:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἈπεκρίθηApekrithēAnsweredG611
οὖνounthereforeG3767
αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846
ὁho<the>G3588
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπεν·eipensaid:G2036
ἡhē<the>G3588
ἐμὴemēMyG1473
διδαχὴdidachēteachingG1322
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἐμὴemēof MyselfG1473
ἀλλὰallabutG235
τοῦtouof the [One who]G3588
πέμψαντόςpempsantoshaving sentG3992
με·meMe;G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 7:16

  • John 14:10

    Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

  • John 14:24

    He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

  • 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 6:38-40

    For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

  • John 12:49-50

    For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

  • John 5:23-24

    That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

  • John 17:8

    For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

  • John 17:14

    I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

  • John 3:11

    Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

  • John 8:28

    Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

  • John 6:44

    No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

  • John 3:31

    He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
My.
3:11,31; 8:28; 12:49,50; 14:10,24; 17:8,14; Re 1:1
but.
5:23,24,30; 6:38-40,44

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 7:15

    And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

  • John 7:16

    Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

  • John 7:17

    If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Read all of John 7

John 7:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Respondióles Jesús, y dijo: Mi doctrina no es mía, sino de aquél que me envió.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Jésus donc leur répondit et dit: Ma doctrine n’est pas mienne, mais de celui qui m’a envoyé.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da antwortete ihnen Jesus und sprach: Meine Lehre ist nicht mein, sondern dessen, der mich gesandt hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Respondit eis Jesus, et dixit: Mea doctrina non est mea, sed ejus qui misit me.