John 2 16

John 2:16 kjv

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

John 2:16 nkjv

And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"

John 2:16 niv

To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!"

John 2:16 esv

And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

John 2:16 nlt

Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!"

John 2 verses

John 2 16 Meaning

John 2:16 records Jesus' emphatic command to those engaged in commerce within the Temple courts: "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." This verse captures Jesus' righteous indignation and active assertion of divine authority. He expels the sellers, demanding an immediate halt to the profanation of the sacred space dedicated to God. His declaration of the Temple as "my Father's house" signifies His unique Sonship and His right to purify worship. The act condemns the commercialization and exploitation that had turned a place of prayer and devotion into a bustling marketplace, especially harmful to the poor pilgrims who bought sacrificial animals.

John 2 16 Context

This verse is situated early in John’s Gospel, immediately after the miracle at the wedding in Cana. It describes Jesus’ first significant public act in Jerusalem, taking place during the Passover feast (John 2:13). The Second Temple, often called Herod’s Temple, was a grand structure in Jerusalem and the spiritual center for Judaism. Within its extensive Outer Court, known as the Court of the Gentiles, various merchants and money changers operated. These services were considered necessary for pilgrims coming from afar, allowing them to exchange foreign currency for local coinage (required for the Temple tax) and purchase animals for sacrifice without bringing them long distances. However, over time, this convenience became a source of significant profit and exploitation, turning a holy space into a bustling, often chaotic, market. Jesus’ action challenges not just the commerce itself but the authority that permitted and profited from such an arrangement within what He explicitly calls "my Father's house," thereby asserting His unique relationship with God and His supreme authority over the Temple.

John 2 16 Word analysis

• And said: The Greek legei (present tense) suggests a vivid, immediate, and direct command, emphasizing the authority with which Jesus acts.
• unto them that sold doves: The Greek peristeras refers to doves/pigeons, which were specified sacrifices for the poor (Lev 5:7, 12:8; Luke 2:24). Jesus' focus on these sellers highlights the exploitation of the most vulnerable pilgrims, indicating His compassion for them, as the Temple system likely overcharged for these required offerings.
• Take these things hence: The Greek Arate tauta entheuthen is a direct, imperative command meaning "Lift/Remove these things from here." It conveys a forceful, non-negotiable expulsion, emphasizing the urgency and decisiveness required to purify the sacred space.
• make not: The Greek Mē poieite is a strong prohibition in Greek, indicating a cessation of ongoing action. Jesus commands them to stop making the Temple a market, not just for a moment, but permanently ceasing such profane activities.
• my Father's house: The Greek Ton oikon tou patros mou is a profoundly significant theological declaration. Jesus explicitly claims unique divine sonship and, by extension, absolute ownership and authority over the Temple. This sets Him apart from all others and constitutes a direct challenge to the human religious authorities who governed and profited from the Temple's affairs.
• an house of merchandise: The Greek Oikon emporiou literally translates to "house of trading" or "market house." While Synoptic accounts often use "den of robbers" (implying theft/exploitation from Jer 7:11), John's specific phrase focuses on the fundamental perversion of turning a sacred place into a profit-driven enterprise. This commercialization displaced the Temple’s true purpose: a place for sincere worship and communion with God, particularly detrimental to Gentiles who were meant to pray in that very court.

Words-group analysis:

• "them that sold doves, Take these things hence;": This segment pinpoints the immediate, concrete action Jesus takes against the specific manifestation of the Temple’s desecration. It underscores the practical and physical expulsion, focusing on those exploiting religious practices and, especially, those exploiting the poor pilgrims by profiting from their required sacrifices.
• "make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.": This is the theological and declarative core of the verse. It powerfully reveals Jesus’ self-identification, His inherent divine authority, and the fundamental sacred principle being violated. It’s a sweeping condemnation of misplaced priorities where worldly materialism and personal gain supersede spiritual devotion and the holiness due to God's presence.

John 2 16 Bonus section

This Temple cleansing event, presented early in John’s Gospel unlike the Synoptics which place it near the end of Jesus’ ministry, serves to emphasize Jesus’ divine authority and mission from the very outset of His public work. John highlights this cleansing as the first major public sign of Jesus' challenge to the established religious order. Some biblical scholars interpret this placement in John as a symbolic overture to the displacement of the old Temple worship system by Jesus Himself as the ultimate access to God and the ultimate sacrifice. Furthermore, the commercial activities Jesus cleared were specifically located in the Court of the Gentiles, a major barrier for non-Jews who sought to pray and worship there. By clearing this area, Jesus symbolically opened up access to God for all peoples, fulfilling prophetic visions of God’s house being "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa 56:7). The righteous indignation shown by Jesus demonstrates a divine standard for sacred space and true worship, reminding believers that reverence, purity of motive, and justice are paramount in approaching and serving God.

John 2 16 Commentary

John 2:16 encapsulates Jesus' profound zeal for the holiness of God's house and His direct confrontation with spiritual corruption. His action of driving out the sellers was not mere human anger but a divinely authoritative and prophetic act, demonstrating His rightful claim over the Temple as "my Father's house." This statement unequivocally declares His unique relationship with God as His Son. The commerce, particularly the selling of doves, represented a system that prioritized profit over piety, making it difficult for pilgrims, especially the poor, to worship sincerely. By purifying the Temple, Jesus highlighted that true worship demands reverence, justice, and unhindered devotion, untouched by worldly materialism. This cleansing prefigured a new covenant order, where true worship would be in spirit and truth, shifting focus from a physical structure to His own person (John 2:19-21), who would become the ultimate sacrifice and the true dwelling place of God. It served as a clear sign of His Messiahship and His intention to restore the integrity of worship.