John 7 47

John 7:47 kjv

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

John 7:47 nkjv

Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?

John 7:47 niv

"You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted.

John 7:47 esv

The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?

John 7:47 nlt

"Have you been led astray, too?" the Pharisees mocked.

John 7 verses

John 7 47 Meaning

John 7:47 records the accusatory question of the Pharisees directed at the temple guards, who had been sent to arrest Jesus but returned empty-handed, stating they had never heard a man speak like Him. The Pharisees' question, "Have you also been deceived?", reveals their spiritual blindness, pride, and unwavering rejection of Jesus' divine authority. They assume anyone impressed by Jesus must be under some form of delusion, demonstrating their inability to comprehend or accept the truth He spoke due to their preconceived notions and hostility.

John 7 47 Context

John chapter 7 opens during the Feast of Tabernacles, a major Jewish festival in Jerusalem. Jesus' brothers urge Him to go to Judea publicly, but Jesus goes in secret until mid-feast. His teachings then spark significant division among the crowds concerning His identity (John 7:12, 7:43). The religious authorities, especially the Pharisees and chief priests, become increasingly agitated by Jesus' growing influence and send temple guards to arrest Him (John 7:32). However, in John 7:46, the guards return without Jesus, explaining, "No one ever spoke like this man!" It is this unprecedented and unsolicited testimony from their own agents that prompts the Pharisees' indignant and condescending response in John 7:47, accusing the guards of being "deceived." Their reaction underscores their self-perceived authority and their disdain for anyone, especially the common people or their own subordinates, who might be swayed by Jesus' message. They could not conceive that truth could come from someone outside their established order.

John 7 47 Word analysis

• Then: Indicates a direct response, highlighting the immediate reaction of the Pharisees to the guards' surprising report.
• the Pharisees (Greek: Φαρισαῖοι, Pharisaios): A prominent Jewish sect known for their strict adherence to the Law, oral tradition, and often, a self-righteous attitude. They held considerable religious and social authority among the people. In the Gospels, they are frequently depicted as opponents of Jesus, critical of His actions and teachings. Their very name, derived from a word meaning "separated," speaks to their exclusiveness and perceived superiority.
• answered them: "Them" refers to the temple guards. This signifies an interrogative and accusatory response, not an engagement with the truth of the guards' testimony, but a rejection of its premise.
• "Have you also been deceived?":
  • "Have you also": The "also" is crucial. It implies that the Pharisees believe others (the common people, or perhaps those already following Jesus) have indeed been deceived, and now they fear this "deception" is spreading to their own agents. This reveals their prior condemnation of Jesus' followers.
  • "been deceived?" (Greek: πεπλάνησθε, peplanesthai, from planáo): This verb means "to wander, to stray, to go astray, to be led astray, to deceive." In the passive voice here, it means "to be misled, deluded, or in error." It implies intellectual or moral wandering from the truth. The Pharisees do not ask if the guards believe Jesus; they immediately conclude that the guards must have been misled if they found Jesus' words compelling. This highlights their bias and presumption of Jesus as a deceiver rather than a bringer of truth. It is a derogatory charge, framing any positive impression of Jesus as a result of manipulation, not conviction.

John 7 47 Bonus section

• The Pharisees' accusation of "deception" here is an early echo of the official Jewish leadership's narrative that Jesus was a fraud, which culminated in their demand for His crucifixion and later in rabbinic traditions that painted Him as a magician and blasphemer.
• This verse contrasts the unadulterated perception of common people/guards, who responded to the compelling nature of Jesus' words, with the hardened hearts and doctrinal rigidity of the religious elite.
• The phrase "Have you also been deceived?" is a rhetorical question designed to shame and control, not to seek understanding. It’s an assertion masquerading as a question.
• The Pharisees were largely interested in protecting their power structure and their interpretation of the Law, fearing that Jesus' message would destabilize both, rather than truly seeking to discern God's will. Their rejection stemmed more from their identity as religious authorities than from a sincere search for truth.

John 7 47 Commentary

John 7:47 starkly reveals the entrenched spiritual blindness and judgmental attitude of the religious leaders of Jesus' day, particularly the Pharisees. Confronted with an unexpected and powerful testimony from their own temple guards – "No one ever spoke like this man!" – their immediate reaction is not inquiry or contemplation, but condemnation. Their question, "Have you also been deceived?", encapsulates their profound bias: for them, Jesus could not be anything but a deceiver, and anyone who found Him compelling must therefore be deluded. This speaks to their intellectual pride, rooted in their adherence to traditional interpretations and their position of authority, which prevented them from recognizing divine truth when it challenged their paradigms. They prioritized maintaining their status and traditions over an honest assessment of God's work. This passage serves as a timeless warning against closed-mindedness, the dangers of rejecting truth based on personal prejudice or group allegiance, and the tragedy of self-proclaimed wisdom leading to profound folly. It illustrates how those who claim to see clearly can be the most blind to spiritual reality.