John 8 17

John 8:17 kjv

It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

John 8:17 nkjv

It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

John 8:17 niv

In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

John 8:17 esv

In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.

John 8:17 nlt

Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.

John 8 verses

John 8 17 Meaning

John 8:17 declares that Jesus, when His testimony about Himself is challenged, appeals to a foundational legal principle from the Mosaic Law. He states that the witness or testimony of two individuals is considered true and valid within the Jewish legal system. This assertion serves as a prelude to His declaration in the very next verse that He is not alone in His testimony, but the Father who sent Him also bears witness alongside Him. This verse grounds His divine claims within a context understandable and accepted by His Jewish accusers, indicating that even by their own standards, His words should be deemed credible.

John 8 17 Context

John 8:17 appears within a heated dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees in the Temple treasury during the Feast of Booths (Sukkot). This discourse follows the incident where Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). After declaring Himself the "Light of the World" (John 8:12), the Pharisees challenge Jesus, asserting that His self-testimony is invalid because He alone testifies (John 8:13). In response, Jesus explains that while they don't know His origin or destination, His judgment is true, because He is not alone; the Father is with Him (John 8:14-16). He then, in John 8:17, invokes the well-known legal principle of their own Mosaic Law concerning the necessity of two or three witnesses for a testimony to be true and binding. This sets the stage for His declaration in John 8:18 that His Father is indeed the second witness validating His claims.

John 8 17 Word analysis

• Καὶ (Kai): "And," "Also," "Moreover." This conjunction links this verse to Jesus's preceding argument, indicating a continuation of His response to the Pharisees' challenge.

• ἐν (en): "In," "within." Here, it points to the authoritative source of the law: within or in their specific legal tradition.

• τῷ (tō): The definite article, "the." Specifies the particular law.

• νόμῳ (nomō): (Nomos) "Law." Refers unequivocally to the Mosaic Law, the Torah, which held supreme authority for the Jewish people. Jesus strategically grounds His argument in the very framework His challengers acknowledged.

• δὲ (de): "But," "and," "moreover." A light connective often signaling a mild contrast or an elaboration; here, it elaborates on Jesus's previous statement.

• τῷ (tō): The definite article, "the." Used again for emphasis with "your."

• ὑμετέρῳ (hymeterō): (Humeteros) "Your (own)." This emphatic possessive adjective highlights that Jesus is citing their law, appealing to a principle they themselves recognize and revere. It shows Jesus is meeting them on their own legal turf.

• γέγραπται (gegraptai): (Grapho, perfect passive indicative) "It stands written," "It has been written." This standard formula indicates a written biblical quotation, emphasizing the permanent and established nature of the command. The perfect tense signifies an ongoing, authoritative status.

• ὅτι (hoti): "That." Here it functions to introduce the content of the legal statement, effectively "that which states..."

• δύο (dyo): "Two." This precise number is critical, reflecting the minimum required by Mosaic Law (Deut 17:6, 19:15) for legal validation, particularly in serious matters.

• ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn): (Anthropos, genitive plural) "Of men," "of persons." Indicates human witnesses.

• ἡ (hē): The definite article, "the."

• μαρτυρία (martyria): "Testimony," "witness," "evidence." The substance or declaration provided.

• ἀληθής (alēthēs): "True," "valid," "authentic." This adjective confirms the legal acceptability and trustworthiness of the testimony, meaning it can be acted upon.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τῷ ὑμετέρῳ γέγραπται": "It is written in your own Law." This phrase emphasizes Jesus's respect for the Mosaic Law and His masterful ability to use His opponents' own sacred texts against their fallacious reasoning. He establishes common ground, demonstrating that even by their own standards, His claims can be validated.
  • "δύο ἀνθρώπων ἡ μαρτυρία ἀληθής ἐστιν": "The testimony of two men is true." This directly quotes or paraphrases a well-known legal principle from the Pentateuch. It serves as the bedrock upon which Jesus builds His argument in the following verse, affirming the essential role of multiple witnesses in establishing truth and validity in judicial matters. This phrase ensures due process and protection against false accusations.

John 8 17 Bonus section

This verse highlights Jesus's divine wisdom in argumentation. Instead of merely asserting His authority, He strategically engages His adversaries on their terms, using a legal principle from their cherished Law. This act elevates the common Jewish legal tradition to a higher theological truth. Furthermore, this concept of multiple witnesses foreshadows the collective witness of the early church to Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, which forms the basis of the New Testament's testimony (Acts 1:8). The entire Gospel of John consistently portrays Jesus's claims as corroborated by various 'witnesses'—John the Baptist, His works, the Scriptures, and supremely, the Father—reaffirming the foundational principle mentioned in this verse.

John 8 17 Commentary

In John 8:17, Jesus confronts the Pharisees' challenge to His self-testimony by appealing directly to the Mosaic Law, which mandated the testimony of at least two witnesses for a claim to be considered true and legally binding. By stating, "It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true," Jesus shows His profound understanding of and respect for their sacred texts. He is not dismissing their legal framework but operating within its boundaries. This verse masterfully sets up His powerful declaration in John 8:18, where He identifies His divine Father as His ultimate and unquestionable second witness. Thus, Jesus fulfills the legal requirements, not by human means, but by divine association. This brief verse underscores that Jesus's identity and mission are not merely personal assertions but are divinely validated and rooted in principles that even His critics held dear. It is a strategic move, drawing on a known and respected legal precedent to authenticate His unparalleled claims, guiding His listeners to consider that if human testimony needs two witnesses for truth, how much more solid is a testimony validated by God Himself?