John 7 · Verse 40

John 7:40

Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
John 7:40, King James Version

John 7:40 in other translations

BSBOn hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
WEBMany of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.”
ASVSome of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet.
YLTMany, therefore out of the multitude, having heard the word, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet;'
DARBYSome out of the crowd therefore, having heard this word, said, This is truly the prophet.
BBEWhen these words came to their ears, some of the people said, This is certainly the prophet.
WebsterMany of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, In truth this is the Prophet.

What does John 7:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 7:40-43
40-43. Many ... when they heard this ... said, Of a truth, &c.--The only wonder is they did not all say it. "But their minds were blinded."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 40. The Prophet. That is, the prophet whom they expected to precede the coming of the Messiah--either Elijah or Jeremiah. See Mt 16:14.

(k) "the prophet" De 18:15, Jn 6:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 40 Of a truth this is the Prophet - The great prophet, or teacher, spoken of by Moses, Deu 18:15, which they improperly distinguished from the Messiah, Joh 7:41. Some no doubt knew that by the prophet, the Messiah was meant; but others seem to have thought that one of the ancient prophets should be raised from the dead, and precede the appearing of the Messiah.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 7:40-53
The malice of Christ's enemies is always against reason, and sometimes the staying of it cannot be accounted for. Never any man spake with that wisdom, and power, and grace, that convincing clearness, and that sweetness, wherewith Christ spake. Alas, that many, who are for a time restrained, and who speak highly of the word of Jesus, speedily lose their convictions, and go on in their sins! People are foolishly swayed by outward motives in matters of eternal moment, are willing even to be damned for fashion's sake. As the wisdom of God often chooses things which men despise, so the folly of men commonly despises those whom God has chosen. The Lord brings forward his weak and timid disciples, and sometimes uses them to defeat the designs of his enemies.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 7:40 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.

ΠολλοὶPolloimanyG4183
ἐκekfromG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
ὄχλουochloucrowdG3793
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ἀκούσαντεςakousanteshaving heardG191
τῶνtōntheG3588
λόγωνlogōnwordsG3056
τούτωνtoutōntheseG3778
ἔλεγονelegonwere sayingG3004
οὗτόςhoutosThisG3778
ἐστινestinisG1510
ἀληθῶςalēthōstrulyG230
ὁhotheG3588
προφήτης.prophētēsProphet.G4396

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

Cross references for John 7:40

  • Matthew 21:11

    And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

  • John 1:21

    And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

  • John 6:14

    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.

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

Context

  • John 7:39

    (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

  • John 7:40

    Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

  • John 7:41

    Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

Read all of John 7

John 7:40 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces algunos de la multitud, oyendo este dicho, decían: Verdaderamente éste es el profeta.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Des gens de la foule donc, ayant entendu cette parole, disaient: Celui-ci est véritablement le prophète.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Etliche nun aus der Volksmenge sagten, als sie diese Worte hörten: Dieser ist wahrhaftig der Prophet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ex illa ergo turba cum audissent hos sermones ejus, dicebant: Hic est vere propheta.