John 2 20

John 2:20 kjv

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

John 2:20 nkjv

Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"

John 2:20 niv

They replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"

John 2:20 esv

The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

John 2:20 nlt

"What!" they exclaimed. "It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?"

John 2 verses

John 2 20 Meaning

This verse assures believers of a unique spiritual endowment: "an anointing" from "the Holy One." This anointing signifies a divine enablement and consecration by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, believers are equipped with a foundational understanding of spiritual truths, enabling them to discern truth from error, especially in the face of false teachings and deceivers mentioned previously in the chapter. It's not omniscience, but a spiritual discernment vital for authentic faith.

John 2 20 Context

1 John 2:20 is nestled within a crucial section of John’s first epistle, immediately following his warning about "antichrists" and "false teachers" who have "gone out from us" (1 Jn 2:18-19) because "they were not of us." These deceivers denied essential truths about Christ's person—specifically, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God come in the flesh (1 Jn 2:22-23). The historical context indicates that the early church faced Gnostic or proto-Gnostic beliefs that downplayed the full humanity or deity of Jesus, presenting a spiritual threat to the faithful. In light of this, John reassures his readers that they possess an inherent spiritual discernment, enabling them to recognize and reject such lies. The "anointing" serves as their divine defense against doctrinal error and spiritual deception.

John 2 20 Word analysis

• But (Καὶ - Kai): While often translated "and," here it introduces a mild contrast or transition. It contrasts the nature of the false teachers (who were never truly of them) with the enduring spiritual endowment of true believers. It shifts from warning to reassurance.

• you (ὑμεῖς - Hymeis): This is an emphatic plural pronoun. It deliberately distinguishes the true believers ("you all") from the departing deceivers and highlights their collective identity and privilege.

• have (ἔχετε - Echete): Present active indicative. It signifies a continuous, abiding possession, not a one-time event or a past experience. This anointing is a permanent reality for all genuine believers.

• an anointing (χρῖσμα - Chrisma): Derived from the verb chriō (to anoint). In the Old Testament, anointing oil symbolized consecration, empowerment, and designation for divine service (e.g., priests, prophets, kings). In the New Testament, particularly in John's writings and 2 Corinthians, "the anointing" clearly refers to the indwelling Holy Spirit. It conveys the idea of being set apart for God and empowered by Him, particularly for discernment and understanding spiritual truth. It speaks of divine consecration and equipping.

• from (ἀπὸ - Apo): Indicates the source or origin of the anointing.

• the Holy One (τοῦ Ἁγίου - Tou Hagiou): This phrase is highly significant. While it can refer to God the Father, in the immediate Johannine context and other New Testament usages (e.g., Acts 3:14, Mk 1:24), it is predominantly used as a title for Jesus Christ, "the Holy One of God." It points to His divine purity and His unique relationship with God. The anointing, the Holy Spirit, comes from Christ Himself.

• and you know (καὶ οἴδατε - Kai oidate): The verb oidate (from oida) implies a deep, intuitive, and experiential knowledge, rather than mere intellectual accumulation or propositional understanding (ginōskō). It's a settled, certain knowledge, stemming from divine revelation.

• all things (πάντα - Panta): This term should be understood contextually. It does not imply omniscience for believers. Instead, it refers to all necessary spiritual truths, specifically those pertaining to salvation, the person of Christ, the Gospel, and what is essential for distinguishing truth from the prevalent falsehoods and antichrist spirits John addresses. It means a complete grasp of fundamental Christian doctrine to the extent needed to identify lies and abide in truth.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "But you have an anointing": This phrase sharply distinguishes believers from those who left (the antichrists). It highlights an existing, personal spiritual possession given to them by God, a mark of genuine faith. This "anointing" provides stability amidst doctrinal confusion.
• "from the Holy One": Pinpoints the divine source of this empowering discernment. It underlines the holiness and authority of Jesus as the one who bestows the Holy Spirit, making the believers' knowledge divinely derived and therefore trustworthy.
• "and you know all things": Connects the divine endowment (the anointing) directly to an inherent spiritual capacity for discernment. This knowledge is not learned solely through human instruction but flows from the Spirit's illumination, equipping believers to assess spiritual claims and hold fast to the truth concerning Christ.

John 2 20 Bonus section

The "anointing" concept also draws parallels to Old Testament figures like priests, prophets, and kings, who were divinely appointed and empowered through anointing. In the New Covenant, through the "anointing" of the Holy Spirit, all believers are made a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), consecrated for God's service, and equipped with discernment. This democratizes spiritual knowledge, indicating that access to essential truths is not confined to an elite few but is given to all who genuinely follow Christ. The emphasis on "you" (plural) suggests this is a collective gift to the church body, reinforcing community vigilance against error.

John 2 20 Commentary

1 John 2:20 offers profound comfort and instruction to believers amidst theological deception. It confirms that genuine Christians possess an intrinsic spiritual resource—the "anointing," which is universally understood as the indwelling Holy Spirit. This anointing originates from "the Holy One," Jesus Christ, highlighting His role as the giver of the Spirit and the fount of all spiritual truth. The consequence of this divine gift is that believers "know all things"—not that they are omniscient, but that they possess an intuitive, Spirit-given discernment regarding the core truths of the Gospel, especially concerning Christ's identity and work. This internal knowledge enables them to detect and resist false teachings, guarding their faith against the lies of the "antichrists" and securing them in their allegiance to Christ. This verse thus affirms the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit to teach and protect believers, rendering external human teaching unnecessary for fundamental spiritual discernment, though it does not negate the role of gifted teachers in the church for further growth and instruction (1 Jn 2:27 clarifies this point). It reassures believers of their direct, personal access to divine wisdom through the Spirit.