Luke 22 71

Luke 22:71 kjv

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

Luke 22:71 nkjv

And they said, "What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

Luke 22:71 niv

Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

Luke 22:71 esv

Then they said, "What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips."

Luke 22:71 nlt

"Why do we need other witnesses?" they said. "We ourselves heard him say it."

Luke 22 verses

Luke 22 71 Meaning

Luke 22:71 captures the moment the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish judicial body, declared that no further evidence or witnesses were needed to condemn Jesus. They affirmed that they themselves had directly heard what they considered His blasphemous claim – His affirmation of being the Son of God and the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power of God – from His own mouth. This verse marks the conclusion of their interrogation and their self-justified basis for passing a death sentence upon Him.

Luke 22 71 Context

Luke 22:71 concludes the nocturnal trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, which commenced shortly after His arrest in Gethsemane. The chapter begins with the Passover preparations, Judas’ betrayal, the Last Supper, and Jesus' agonized prayer in the garden, culminating in His apprehension. The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jewish council hastily convened an unlawful trial (many Jewish legal norms were violated, such as trials at night or on feast days). Their primary objective was not justice, but finding a pretext to execute Jesus, whose popularity and divine claims threatened their religious authority and status. Jesus had remained largely silent to many accusations, but when directly questioned about His identity as the Christ, the Son of God, He responded in a way that the council, in their prejudiced state, could seize upon as "blasphemy," sealing their judgment without needing further witnesses or evidence.

Luke 22 71 Word analysis

• "Then" (εἶπαν δέ): The Greek de (δὲ) here indicates a consequential flow from the previous exchange. "Then they said" (εἶπαν δέ) signals the collective response and unified verdict of the council, marking the decisive end of their interrogation of Jesus.
• "they said" (εἶπαν): From lego, "to say, speak." Indicates a direct utterance and a joint declaration by the entire council present.
• "What" (Τί): An interrogative pronoun, "What?", used here rhetorically to express that absolutely no additional testimony is required.
• "further" (ἔτι): "Yet," "still," "anymore." This adverb intensifies the rhetorical question, emphasizing that their perceived need for testimony has been fully met and surpassed.
• "testimony" (μαρτυρίας): From martyria (μαρτυρία), "witness, testimony." This word relates directly to legal evidence. The Sanhedrin is declaring they no longer need corroborating witnesses for their accusation.
• "do we need?" (ἔχομεν): From echō, "to have, hold, possess." In this rhetorical question, it functions as "do we need?" or "do we have?" It underscores their conviction that they already possess the definitive evidence.
• "For" (γὰρ): Gar (γὰρ), a conjunction meaning "for" or "because," introduces the justification or reason for their prior statement, explaining why they deem no further testimony necessary.
• "we ourselves" (αὐτοὶ... ἡμεῖς): The Greek autoi (αὐτοὶ) "ourselves" combined with the pronoun hēmeis (ἡμεῖς) "we," heavily emphasizes the first-hand, direct experience of the council members. It suggests personal and undeniable apprehension of Jesus' words.
• "have heard it" (ἠκούσαμεν): From akouō, "to hear, listen." This Aorist tense verb emphasizes a past, completed action—they decisively heard it themselves. Their claim is not based on hearsay, but on what they allege to be direct evidence.
• "from His own mouth" (ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ):
  • "from" (ἀπὸ): Apo, indicates the source.
  • "the mouth" (τοῦ στόματος): Stoma (στόμα) referring to direct verbal utterance.
  • "His own" (αὐτοῦ): The emphatic personal pronoun "His own" further reinforces the directness and unassailibility (in their view) of the evidence. Jesus' words, in their perspective, became the ultimate self-incrimination.

Words-group analysis

• "What further testimony do we need?": This rhetorical question is a judicial declaration by the Sanhedrin. It serves to shut down any further deliberation, witness examination, or legal process. It signifies a collective and immediate conviction, stemming from their perception that Jesus had definitively incriminated himself according to their understanding of blasphemy. It demonstrates their preconceived judgment and disregard for due process.
• "For we ourselves have heard it from His own mouth": This clause provides the justification for their conclusion. By claiming direct, personal audibility of Jesus' words, the council asserts that no external witnesses are required, and that the evidence is undeniably sufficient. This statement is the pivotal point where they believe Jesus provided the ultimate grounds for His own condemnation, turning His divine self-revelation into a capital offense in their eyes.

Luke 22 71 Bonus section

• Blasphemy Accusation's Core: The specific "blasphemy" they refer to is Jesus' direct or implied claim of divine status and authority, particularly the reference to Dan 7:13-14 ("Son of Man" receiving dominion) and Ps 110:1 ("seated at the right hand of Power"). This elevated His status to equality with God, which they, from their finite perspective, considered the gravest offense against God.
• Mockery of Justice: The Sanhedrin's statement of self-sufficiency in "witnessing" Jesus' alleged blasphemy underscores the deep corruption and predetermined outcome of this trial. Rather than upholding justice, they twisted the legal framework to execute one whom they perceived as a threat to their power and theological framework.
• Messianic Expectation: Their reaction reveals a clash between Jesus' spiritual, divine Messiahship and their own rigid, earthly, and limited messianic expectations. They could not conceive of a Messiah who claimed divine authority without seizing temporal power.
• Significance of "Own Mouth": The emphasis on hearing "from His own mouth" highlights a recurring theme in the gospels: Jesus' teachings often convict or reveal the hearts of His listeners. In this instance, His own words become the basis for His condemnation, not because they are false, but because His accusers refuse to accept their truth.

Luke 22 71 Commentary

Luke 22:71 represents the Sanhedrin's chilling summation of their case against Jesus. Following Jesus' powerful yet subtle affirmation of His identity as the Son of Man destined to be seated at the right hand of God, the council declared their satisfaction. Their exclamation, "What further testimony do we need?" was not a genuine query seeking additional evidence but a rhetorical statement of fixed judgment. They viewed Jesus' response, which for believers reveals His divine Sonship and Messiahship, as undeniable blasphemy according to their interpretation of the law (Lev 24:16). Their subsequent claim to have heard it directly "from His own mouth" was a self-serving justification to circumvent the Jewish legal requirement of at least two witnesses (Deut 17:6). This verse encapsulates the Sanhedrin's complete rejection of Jesus, driven by political expediency and religious bigotry, paving the way for His referral to Pilate and His ultimate crucifixion. This moment tragically exemplifies how spiritual blindness can lead to condemning truth itself.