John 15:25 kjv
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
John 15:25 nkjv
But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
John 15:25 niv
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'
John 15:25 esv
But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.'
John 15:25 nlt
This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures : 'They hated me without cause.'
John 15 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 15:25 | "But this happened to fulfill what is written in their law: 'They hated me without reason.'" | Fulfillment of prophecy, divine affirmation |
| Psalm 35:19 | "Let not my enemies gloat over me, nor let them wink their eye who hate me without cause." | Echoes hatred without cause |
| Psalm 69:4 | "More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without reason; my enemies who would destroy me are powerful. Even though I could not repay what they took, I would have captured them if I had chased them." | Detailed prophecy of wrongful hate |
| John 1:14 | "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." | Affirmation of divine identity |
| John 17:8 | "For I gave them the words that you gave me, and they received them and knew truly that I came from you; and they believed that you sent me." | Jesus speaks God's words |
| Deuteronomy 18:18 | "I will raise up for them a prophet from among their own people, like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him." | Old Testament prophecy of Messiah speaking God's words |
| Isaiah 53:3 | "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." | Foreshadowing rejection and scorn |
| Acts 1:16 | "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became guide to those who arrested Jesus." | Principle of scriptural fulfillment |
| Acts 4:25 | "who by the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?'" | Messianic psalm used in early church |
| Acts 17:3 | "explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.'" | Christological preaching |
| John 10:35 | "if he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—" | Authority of Scripture |
| John 5:31 | "If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true." | Jesus points to external witness |
| John 5:32 | "There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true." | The Father as witness |
| John 8:14 | "Jesus answered them, “Though I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going." | Jesus' self-attestation valid |
| Romans 3:4 | "By no means! Let God be true though every man be a liar, as it is written, 'That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.'" | God's truthfulness established |
| John 1:23 | "He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said." | Fulfillment of Isaiah prophecy |
| Mark 12:36 | "For David himself said by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’" | David's testimony to the Messiah |
| 1 Corinthians 2:13 | "And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to spiritual people." | Words taught by the Spirit |
| John 12:47-48 | "If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not receive my words has one who judges him. The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." | Rejection of words leads to judgment |
| Acts 2:22-23 | "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of godless men." | Jesus' works as divine attestation |
John 15 verses
John 15 25 Meaning
This verse highlights a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy within Jesus' ministry. It states that the words spoken by Jesus were indeed the very words of God, confirming His divine authority and mission as sent by the Father. This means His teachings and actions were not merely human opinions but divine pronouncements that had been foretold.
John 15 25 Context
This verse appears in John chapter 15, part of Jesus' Farewell Discourse to His disciples before His crucifixion. In this discourse, Jesus uses the analogy of the vine and the branches to illustrate His intimate relationship with His followers and the importance of abiding in Him. He explains that He is the true vine and His disciples are the branches, and that true disciples bear fruit because they are connected to Him. Chapter 15 also addresses the inevitability of persecution for His followers, which stems from the world's opposition to Christ. Verse 25 directly follows Jesus' statement that His disciples will be persecuted because the world hates them. It then serves as a statement of confirmation for the legitimacy of His teachings and person, pointing back to established Old Testament scriptures.
John 15 25 Word Analysis
- But ( δὲ, de): A conjunction indicating contrast or a turn in the discourse. Here, it transitions from the disciples' persecution to the underlying reason for it – the world's baseless hatred.
- this (αὕτη, hautē): Refers to the hatred and persecution previously mentioned or that would be experienced.
- has come to pass / has happened (γέγονεν, gegonen): Perfect tense of γίνομαι (ginomai), meaning "to become," "to happen," "to be." It signifies that an event has occurred and its results continue. Here, it points to the fulfillment of a predetermined event.
- that it might be fulfilled (ἵνα πληρωθῇ, hina plērōthē): The purpose clause, indicating that the preceding events serve the ultimate goal of fulfilling prophecy. πληρωθῇ (plērōthē) is from πληρόω (plēroō), "to fulfill," "to complete."
- which is written (τὸ γεγραμμένον, to gegrammenon): Passive participle of γράφω (graphō), "to write." Refers to existing written scripture, highlighting the scriptural basis.
- in their law (ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτῶν, en tō nomō autōn): "Law" (νόμος, nomos) in this context can refer broadly to the Law of Moses or, more encompassing here, to the entire Old Testament scripture, which contains these prophecies. "Their" refers to the people of Israel, who possessed and claimed to follow the Law.
- They hated me without reason (Μισήσαντές με δωρεάν, Misēsanțes me dōrean):
- Mισήσαντες (Misēsanțes): Aorist participle of μισέω (miseō), meaning "to hate." Indicates the action of hating.
- με (me): "Me," referring to Jesus.
- δωρεάν (dōrean): Adverb meaning "freely," "without cause," "without reason," "for nothing." This term is crucial as it underscores the unjust and baseless nature of the hatred directed at Jesus. It implies no provocation or just cause.
Word Group Analysis
- "this has come to pass that it might be fulfilled in their law": This phrase emphasizes the deliberate unfolding of events according to divine plan and existing revelation. The hatred directed towards Jesus is not an anomaly but a predicted occurrence within the framework of God's revealed Word, particularly as it pertains to Israel's Law and prophetic writings.
- "They hated me without reason": This statement, drawn from Scripture, provides a strong attestation to Jesus' divine identity and mission. It implies that His persecution stemmed from His intrinsic nature and message, which the world (represented by His adversaries) found contrary and objectionable, not because of any personal fault or transgression on His part.
John 15 25 Bonus Section
The reference to "their law" is significant. While the Psalmist wrote of being hated without cause, Jesus associates this prediction with "their law." This is often interpreted as drawing from passages in Psalms (like Psalm 35 and 69) which were considered authoritative Scripture for the Jews. It underscores Jesus' consistent approach of interpreting His mission and suffering through the lens of the Old Testament. Furthermore, the use of the word "dōrean" (without cause) emphasizes the purity of Jesus' motives and life, as the rejection He experienced was not a response to any wrong He committed. It was a theological indictment against humanity's core rebellion against God.
John 15 25 Commentary
This verse serves as a powerful self-attestation from Jesus, confirming that the opposition He faced was not an unforeseen circumstance but a prophesied reality. By linking the world's hatred of Him to their own Law (i.e., the Old Testament Scriptures), Jesus anchors His identity and suffering in the fabric of God's covenant with Israel and His redemptive plan. The hatred being "without reason" (δωρεάν) highlights the sinfulness of man, whose hearts are predisposed to reject God's perfect Son. This implies that Jesus' inherent righteousness and divine message were the very things that provoked this unwarranted animosity. The fulfillment of such prophecies about undeserved suffering in the Psalms further solidifies His messianic claims, showing that His experiences were in perfect accord with the divinely inspired scriptures.