John 7:9 kjv
When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
John 7:9 nkjv
When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
John 7:9 niv
After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
John 7:9 esv
After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
John 7:9 nlt
After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
John 7 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 2:4 | "And Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.'" | Jesus' timing is divine. |
| Jn 7:5 | "For not even his brothers believed in him." | Unbelief of His family, contextualizing their request. |
| Jn 7:6 | "Jesus said to them, 'My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.'" | Jesus controls His divine schedule. |
| Jn 7:8 | "Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come." | Repetition of divine timing; initial refusal to their request. |
| Jn 7:10 | "But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up... not publicly." | Jesus still went, but on His own terms, in secret. |
| Jn 8:20 | "No one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come." | Protection until God's appointed time. |
| Jn 12:23 | "And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'" | The arrival of the appointed time for glorification. |
| Jn 13:1 | "Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world..." | Awareness of the impending fulfillment of His mission. |
| Eccl 3:1 | "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." | General principle of divine timing in all things. |
| Acts 1:7 | "He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.'" | Divine prerogative over timing. |
| Mt 12:15 | "Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all..." | Jesus often withdrew strategically from danger/pressure. |
| Mk 1:45 | "...he would no longer openly enter a town, but would stay out in desolate places..." | Jesus' strategic movements, sometimes for secrecy. |
| Lk 4:30 | "But he passed through their midst and went away." | Jesus' ability to escape threats or unwanted attention. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-29 | "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards..." | Contrast between worldly wisdom and divine calling. |
| Phil 2:5-8 | "He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death..." | Jesus' humility and obedience contrasting worldly glory. |
| Is 9:1-2 | "Galilee of the Gentiles... The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light..." | Prophetic significance of Galilee as His ministry base. |
| Mt 4:13-16 | "He went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah..." | Jesus making Galilee His base, fulfilling prophecy. |
| Jn 4:3-4 | "He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria." | Jesus often transitioned between Judea and Galilee. |
| Heb 12:2 | "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..." | Jesus endured, setting aside personal desires for God's will. |
| Jer 1:5 | "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." | God's sovereign plan and timing for His servants. |
John 7 verses
John 7 9 Meaning
John 7:9 reveals Jesus' sovereign control over His actions and divine timetable. After His brothers urged Him to go publicly to the Feast of Tabernacles in Judea, seeking worldly recognition for Him, Jesus deliberately declared His time had "not yet fully come" (Jn 7:6, 8) and subsequently remained in Galilee. This verse underscores Jesus' independence from human pressure and His commitment to the Father's perfect timing and method for His ministry, rather than conforming to worldly expectations for glory.
John 7 9 Context
John 7 begins with Jesus avoiding Judea because Jewish leaders sought to kill Him. The Feast of Tabernacles was approaching, a major pilgrimage festival in Jerusalem. Jesus' biological brothers, who did not yet believe in Him, challenged Him to go publicly to Judea to display His miracles and gain fame, effectively urging Him to act as a worldly messiah. They likely sought a public spectacle that would benefit them or validate their family connection. Jesus, however, recognized their worldly motives and the premature nature of such a public display. He refused, stating that "My time has not yet come," referring to the specific, divinely appointed timing for His glorification and ultimate confrontation in Jerusalem. Verse 9 is Jesus' immediate action following this pivotal conversation, showing His firm adherence to His Father's will and timing over the requests of His unbelieving family. His remaining in Galilee was a strategic withdrawal and an assertion of divine authority.
John 7 9 Word analysis
Having said: (Greek: Ταῦτα εἰπὼν - Tauta eipōn).
- Tauta: "These things," refers specifically to the preceding conversation, particularly Jesus' repeated declaration that "My time has not yet come." It points to His complete rejection of His brothers' suggestion and reasoning.
- eipōn: "having said," an aorist participle, signifies a completed action preceding the main verb. It underscores that His decision to stay in Galilee was made after stating His definitive position on divine timing, emphasizing intentionality.
this, He remained: (Greek: ἔμεινεν - emeinen).
- emeinen: From the verb menō, meaning "to stay, abide, remain, endure." In John's Gospel, menō often carries deeper theological significance (abiding in Christ, Jn 15:4-7). Here, it signifies a physical remaining, but it is deeply intertwined with the spiritual principle of His obedience to the Father's timetable. It conveys a purposeful, settled decision, not passive idleness. It highlights Jesus' control and refusal to be hurried or influenced by external pressure, particularly from those driven by worldly ambition.
in Galilee: (Greek: ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ - en tē Galilaia).
- en tē Galilaia: "in Galilee," the region where Jesus had largely carried out His ministry to this point, known as "Galilee of the Gentiles" (Is 9:1). It contrasts sharply with Judea and Jerusalem, the focus of His brothers' suggestion for public display. His presence in Galilee at this moment signifies a deliberate deferral of His open presence in Jerusalem at the festival, emphasizing a different, hidden approach in His journey to Jerusalem (Jn 7:10) at God's appointed hour.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Having said this, He remained": This phrase directly connects Jesus' verbal declaration about His timing with His immediate physical action. It portrays a Jesus who speaks with authority and acts with corresponding intention. His words are not empty; His actions align perfectly with His stated purpose, reflecting His unified will with the Father. The logos (word) and ergon (deed) are inseparable in John's portrayal of Jesus. This moment underscores His absolute sovereignty over His life and ministry.
- "in Galilee": This is a key geographical marker representing a period of hiddenness or strategic delay from the center of religious and political power (Jerusalem). By staying in Galilee, Jesus continues His work away from the intense scrutiny and immediate dangers of Jerusalem, reinforcing that His plan is not of public spectacle or popular acclaim, but of divine design. It reflects the mystery of His messianic path, contrasting with the visible and worldly display His brothers expected.
John 7 9 Bonus section
- Prophetic Parallel: Jesus' decision to remain in Galilee briefly aligns with the prophetic understanding of the Messiah operating from this less-esteemed region before His ultimate presentation in Jerusalem (Is 9:1-2). His journey and revelation are systematically unfolded by divine orchestration, not by human schedule.
- Theological Significance of menō (remain): While emeinen here primarily denotes a physical stay, the choice of the verb menō by John often carries profound theological weight about spiritual abiding and remaining in fellowship (e.g., "Abide in Me, and I in you," Jn 15:4). While not its direct meaning here, the consistent use of menō throughout the Gospel subtly reinforces the idea of Jesus' constant "abiding" in the Father's will and purpose. His physical "remaining" in Galilee is thus an extension of His spiritual "abiding" in the Father's plan.
- Irony of Unbelief: The unbelieving brothers desired Jesus to make a public show, ironically hastening a confrontation in Jerusalem. By "remaining" and then going privately, Jesus demonstrates a different kind of power and wisdom, sidestepping their agenda and moving according to the Father's redemptive strategy.
John 7 9 Commentary
John 7:9 is a concise verse yet profound in its implications, perfectly capturing the core themes of Jesus' sovereignty, divine timing, and independence from worldly influences found throughout John's Gospel. His act of "remaining in Galilee" following His firm declaration about His time not yet having come, is not a simple geographical detail, but a theological statement. It highlights Jesus' resolute commitment to His Father's will and a deliberate rejection of human counsel, even from His own family. The world, through His brothers, was trying to dictate His terms and push Him towards a path of immediate, public, and self-serving glory. Jesus, however, operated on a heavenly timetable, valuing obedience over immediate popularity. This specific "remaining" prefaces His later, discreet arrival at the feast (Jn 7:10), underscoring that while He eventually goes, it's always on His terms and timing, not the world's. This passage teaches that true discipleship involves waiting on God's timing and seeking His will, rather than conforming to worldly pressures for instant results or recognition.