John 7 · Verse 31

John 7:31

And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
John 7:31, King James Version

John 7:31 in other translations

BSBMany in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”
WEBBut of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?”
ASVBut of the multitude many believed on him; and they said, When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man hath done?
YLTand many out of the multitude did believe in him, and said--‘The Christ--when he may come--will he do more signs than these that this one did?'
DARBYBut many of the crowd believed on him, and said, Will the Christ, when he comes, do more signs than those which this man has done?
BBEAnd numbers of the people had belief in him, and they said, When the Christ comes will he do more signs than this man has done?
WebsterAnd many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

What does John 7:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 7:30-32

30-32. sought to take ... none laid hands--their impotence being equal to their malignity.

Read the full comment on John 7:30-32 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. Will he do more miracles? It was a common expectation that the Messiah would work many miracles. This opinion was founded on such passages as Isa 35:5,6, &c.: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart," &c. Jesus had given abundant evidence of his power to work such miracles, and they therefore believed that he was the Messiah.

(b) "many of the people" Jn 4:39

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Will he do more miracles - It was the belief of the Jews, and they founded it upon Isa 35:5, that, when the Messiah came, he would do all kinds of miracles; and, in order that they might have the fullest proof of the Divine mission of Christ, it had pleased God to cause miracles to cease for between four and five hundred years, and that John the Baptist himself had not wrought any. His miracles, therefore, were a full proof of his Divine mission.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 7:31-36
The discourses of Jesus convinced many that he was the Messiah; but they had not courage to own it. It is comfort to those who are in the world, but not of it, and therefore are hated by it and weary of it, that they shall not be in it always, that they shall not be in it long. Our days being evil, it is well they are few. The days of life and of grace do not last long; and sinners, when in misery, will be glad of the help they now despise. Men dispute about such sayings, but the event will explain them.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 7:31 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.

ἐκekOut ofG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
ὄχλουochloucrowdG3793
δὲdenowG1161
πολλοὶpolloimanyG4183
ἐπίστευσανepisteusanbelievedG4100
εἰςeisinG1519
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔλεγονelegonwere sayingG3004
ὁhoTheG3588
χριστὸςchristosChristG5547
ὅτανhotanWhenG3752
ἔλθῃ,elthēHe may come,G2064
μὴmēSurely notG3361
πλείοναpleionamoreG4119
σημεῖαsēmeiasignsG4592
ποιήσειpoiēseiwill He doG4160
ὧνhōnthanG3739
οὗτοςhoutosthis [man]G3778
ἐποίησεν;epoiēsenhas done?G4160

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

Cross references for John 7:31

  • John 12:42

    Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

  • Matthew 12:23

    And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

  • Acts 8:13

    Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

  • John 11:45

    Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

  • John 10:41-42

    And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there.

  • John 8:30-32

    As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

  • John 3:2

    The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

  • John 9:16

    Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

  • John 12:11

    Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

  • James 2:26

    For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

  • John 6:14-15

    Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

  • Matthew 11:3-6

    And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
believed.
2:23,24; 4:39; 6:14,15; 8:30-32; 12:42; Mt 12:23; Lu 8:13; Ac 8:13
Jas 2:26
When.
3:2; 6:2; 9:16; 10:41,42; Mt 11:3-6

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

Context

  • John 7:30

    Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

  • John 7:31

    And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

  • John 7:32

    The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

Read all of John 7

John 7:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y muchos del pueblo creyeron en él, y decían: El Cristo, cuando viniere, ¿hará más señales que las que éste hace?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et plusieurs d’entre la foule crurent en lui, et disaient: Le Christ, quand il sera venu, fera-t-il plus de miracles que celui-ci n’en a fait?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Viele aber von der Volksmenge glaubten an ihn und sprachen: Wenn der Christus kommt, wird er wohl mehr Zeichen tun als die, welche dieser getan hat?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		De turba autem multi crediderunt in eum, et dicebant: Christus cum venerit, numquid plura signa faciet quam quæ hic facit?