John 7 19

John 7:19 kjv

Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

John 7:19 nkjv

Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"

John 7:19 niv

Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?"

John 7:19 esv

Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?"

John 7:19 nlt

Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me."

John 7 verses

John 7 19 Meaning

John 7:19 is a direct and forceful rhetorical challenge by Jesus to the Jewish leaders, exposing their profound hypocrisy and self-contradiction. Jesus asserts that despite Moses giving them the Law, they universally fail to truly keep it. He immediately follows this by confronting them with their murderous intent towards Him, highlighting how their very actions violate the foundational principles of the Law they claim to uphold and cherish. The verse encapsulates a central theme of John's Gospel: the conflict between outward religious observance and inner spiritual reality.

John 7 19 Context

John 7:19 is uttered during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, where Jesus' identity and authority are fiercely debated among the Jewish people and their leaders. Jesus' brothers had earlier urged Him to go publicly to Judea, implying a challenge for Him to prove His claims openly. Jesus eventually goes secretly, then openly teaches in the Temple courts. This verse directly addresses the religious authorities, who had been plotting His death since the healing of the paralytic on the Sabbath in John 5:16-18. They accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath (violating the Law) and making Himself equal with God. Here, Jesus skillfully turns their accusations back on them, exposing their moral and spiritual hypocrisy by pointing out their failure to keep the Law and their murderous intentions, which directly violate a primary commandment of the very Law they champion.

John 7 19 Word analysis

• Did not Moses (οὐ Μωϋσῆς – ou Mōysēs): A rhetorical question in Greek expecting a 'yes' answer. It underscores a fundamental, undisputed premise among the Jewish audience: Moses' divine role as the giver of the Law. Jesus establishes common ground before revealing their contradiction.
• give you (ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν – edōken hymin): "Gave" (aorist tense) emphasizes the singular, historical act of the Law's delivery. "You" is plural, referring to the Jewish people and specifically their leaders present. It highlights their proud possession of the Law.
• the Law (τὸν νόμον – ton nomon): Refers to the Torah, the Pentateuch, especially its commandments. It represents their national and religious identity. The definite article "the" indicates it's a specific and universally understood body of regulations.
• and yet none of you (καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ ὑμῶν – kai oudeis ex hymōn): "And yet" indicates a stark contrast. "None of you" is an absolute, sweeping indictment. It's not "few" or "some," but "none," signaling a complete failure on a deep, fundamental level, regardless of outward appearance.
• keeps the Law? (ποιεῖ τὸν νόμον – poiei ton nomon): "Keeps" (present tense of ποιέω – poieō, to do, practice, perform) implies an ongoing, active obedience, not merely passive acknowledgment or intellectual assent. Jesus questions their practical adherence to its tenets. The repetition of "the Law" emphasizes the precise object of their alleged obedience and actual failure.

• Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you keeps the Law?: This two-part rhetorical question masterfully juxtaposes two universally accepted truths. The first part acknowledges the divine origin of the Law, validating their heritage. The second part delivers a profound challenge to their lived reality, accusing them of a total systemic failure in their personal and communal observance of the Law's true spirit, particularly the moral commands. It targets their self-righteousness.
• Why do you seek to kill me? (τί με ζητεῖτε ἀποκτεῖναι; – ti me zēteite apokteinai?): This is the cutting edge of Jesus' argument. "Why" demands an answer, implying the irrationality and sinfulness of their intention. "Seek to kill" (present active infinitive ἀποκτεῖναι, often linked to deliberate plot) refers to their active and continuous conspiracy against Him (John 5:16, 18). This murderous intent is a direct, egregious violation of one of the Ten Commandments ("You shall not murder," Ex 20:13, Deut 5:17), the very Law they boast of. Jesus reveals their gravest sin in light of the very Law they pride themselves on having.

John 7 19 Bonus section

• Jesus' Legal Argument: Jesus employs a dialectical strategy, using their own veneration of Moses and the Law against them. He shifts the burden of proof, turning from a defendant to the accuser. He challenges not merely their adherence, but their understanding of the Law's true intent and divine purpose.
• The Deeper Breach: While the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath (one command), Jesus reveals they are guilty of seeking to violate "You shall not murder" (another, and far more fundamental, command). This shows they picked and chose which parts of the Law to emphasize based on their animosity, betraying a legalistic spirit devoid of true righteousness.
• Historical Echoes: This confrontation echoes Old Testament prophets who frequently condemned Israel's outward religiosity masking inward corruption (Isa 1:10-17; Amos 5:21-24). Jesus stands in this prophetic tradition, calling for true spiritual obedience over ritualistic adherence alone.
• Blindness to God's Presence: Their inability to "keep the Law" properly is linked to their spiritual blindness regarding Jesus' identity. If they truly understood and obeyed the Law, which pointed to the Messiah, they would recognize Him instead of trying to kill Him. Their murderous intent signifies a complete rejection of God's salvific plan manifesting in Jesus.

John 7 19 Commentary

John 7:19 showcases Jesus' incisive ability to expose spiritual hypocrisy and to challenge the outward forms of religion without inner transformation. His rhetorical questions target the religious leaders who boasted in their possession of the Law yet fundamentally failed to live by its core principles. The accusation that "none of you keeps the Law" is not an abolition of the Law, but an indictment of their selective and superficial observance, particularly their murderous intent toward Him. They were so blinded by their animosity towards Jesus, fueled by His Sabbath healing (Jn 5), that they overlooked the supreme commandment against murder. Jesus reveals their self-condemnation: in accusing Him of law-breaking (for Sabbath healing, a minor interpretation in their eyes), they were actively violating a far more serious commandment of God's moral law. This exposes a profound moral blindness and their failure to grasp the spirit of the Law, which culminates in love for God and neighbor.