Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” New Living Translation The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?” English Standard Version So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Berean Standard Bible The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Berean Literal Bible Then the crowd answered Him, "We have heard from the Law that Christ abides to the age, and how do you say that it behooves the Son of Man to be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" King James Bible The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? New King James Version The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” New American Standard Bible The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” NASB 1995 The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” NASB 1977 The multitude therefore answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” Legacy Standard Bible The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how do You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” Amplified Bible At this the crowd answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” Christian Standard Bible Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man? ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can You say, The Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” American Standard Version The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Aramaic Bible in Plain English The crowds were saying to him, “We have heard from The Law that The Messiah abides forever. How do you say that The Son of Man is going to be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Contemporary English Version The crowd said to Jesus, "The Scriptures teach that the Messiah will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Douay-Rheims Bible The multitude answered him: We have heard out of the law, that Christ abideth for ever; and how sayest thou: The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? English Revised Version The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? GOD'S WORD® Translation The crowd responded to him, "We have heard from the Scriptures that the Messiah will remain here forever. So how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up from the earth'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?" Good News Translation The crowd answered, "Our Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever. How, then, can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" International Standard Version Then the crowd answered him, "We have learned from the Law that the Messiah remains forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Literal Standard Version the multitude answered Him, “We heard that the Christ remains out of the Law—throughout the age; and how do You say that it is required that the Son of Man be lifted up? Who is this—the Son of Man?” Majority Standard Bible The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” New American Bible So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. Then how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” NET Bible Then the crowd responded, "We have heard from the law that the Christ will remain forever. How can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" New Revised Standard Version The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” New Heart English Bible The crowd answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. Then how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?" Webster's Bible Translation The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? Weymouth New Testament The crowd answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ remains for ever. In what sense do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is that Son of Man?" World English Bible The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?” Young's Literal Translation the multitude answered him, 'We heard out of the law that the Christ doth remain -- to the age; and how dost thou say, That it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up? who is this -- the Son of Man?' Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jesus Predicts His Death…33He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die. 34 The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.… Cross References Psalm 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. Ezekiel 37:25 They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever. Daniel 7:14 And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Matthew 8:20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." John 3:14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. Treasury of Scripture The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ stays for ever: and how say you, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? the law. John 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? John 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Christ. 2 Samuel 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. Psalm 72:7,17-19 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth… Psalm 89:36,37 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me… who. John 3:14-16 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: … John 5:25-27 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live… John 8:53-58 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? … Jump to Previous Abides Abideth Age Behoveth Christ Crowd End Forever Heard Law Multitude SenseJump to Next Abides Abideth Age Behoveth Christ Crowd End Forever Heard Law Multitude SenseJohn 12 1. Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet.9. The people flock to see Lazarus. 10. The chief priests consult to kill him. 12. Jesus rides into Jerusalem. 20. Greeks desire to see Jesus. 23. He foretells his death. 37. The people are generally blinded; 42. yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him; 44. therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith. (34) we have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever.. . . . .--The term "law" refers to the whole of the Old Testament Scripture, as we have seen in John 10:34. (Comp. Note there.) They may have referred to such passages as Psalm 89:36; Psalm 110:4; Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 7:13-14. This remark is an instance of the knowledge of Rabbinic theology which interpreted such passages of a temporal Messianic reign. They had witnessed His triumphal entry into the royal city, and had joined in the acclamations which hailed Him as their King. They expected Him to free them from Roman bondage, and to rule over them in an earthly paradise to which there should be no end. The Christ they thought was to abide for ever. How sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up?--His words have conveyed to them the idea of His death, and we find "lifted up" used not unfrequently in the Rabbinical writings in this sense; but they do not understand more than this. It contradicts all their visions of a Messianic reign. The Son of man to be lifted up! What meant, then, such words as these--"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14)? They cannot reconcile these things, and they ask Him to explain them. . . . Verse 34. - The audience of Jesus on this occasion has swollen into a vast group. The few Greeks, with Philip and Andrew, the other disciples, the smaller circle of sympathetic listeners, the disturbed and feverish crowd, are all about him, as he claims by death itself to judge the world, to win all men, and east out the spirit and prince of the world from his usurped throne. The multitude then answered him, We heard - received information by public teaching - out of the Law that the Christ abideth forever. Numerous passages may have been reasonably in their minds - Psalm 110; Isaiah 9; Ezekiel 37:25; Daniel 7:13, 14 - in which the glories of an everlasting kingdom were predicted. In ver. 23 the Lord had in their hearing spoken of himself as "Son of man." Meyer, by giving the dominant sense of glorification to the ὑψώθω, thinks that the people must be contrasting, in pert criticism, the lowly "Son of man" before them with the "Son of man" of Daniel's vision. But it would be far more probable that the people accepted Christ's intimation of the manner of his death, and hence felt the incongruity of such a Son of man - One who dies, and therefore lives again - with the glowing pictures of Daniel or the 'Book of Henoch.' "The Christ abideth forever." And how sayest thou that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? They did not identify "the Son of man" with the Messiah. They probably supposed two manifestations. They may have doubted, as John the Baptist did, whether Jesus had fulfilled the whole conception of the ἐρχόμενος. It was once more a vague, dull inquiry, "Who art thou?" We are still in doubt who thou art, and how thou canst claim to be the Christ of our prophecies. To be our Christ, and die, is a contradiction in terms.Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Theὁ (ho) Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. crowd ὄχλος (ochlos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3793: From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot. replied, Ἀπεκρίθη (Apekrithē) Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak. “We Ἡμεῖς (Hēmeis) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. have heard ἠκούσαμεν (ēkousamen) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear. from ἐκ (ek) Preposition Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out. the τοῦ (tou) Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Law νόμου (nomou) Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively. that ὅτι (hoti) Conjunction Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because. the ὁ (ho) Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Christ Χριστὸς (Christos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus. will remain μένει (menei) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay. forever. αἰῶνα (aiōna) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 165: From the same as aei; properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity; by implication, the world; specially a Messianic period. [So] καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. how πῶς (pōs) Adverb Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much! {can} you σὺ (sy) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. say λέγεις (legeis) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. that ὅτι (hoti) Conjunction Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because. the τὸν (ton) Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Son Υἱὸν (Huion) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship. of Man ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou) Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being. must δεῖ (dei) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary. be lifted up? ὑψωθῆναι (hypsōthēnai) Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive Strong's 5312: (a) I raise on high, lift up, (b) I exalt, set on high. From hupsos; to elevate. Who τίς (tis) Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what. is ἐστιν (estin) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. this οὗτος (houtos) Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it. Son Υἱὸς (Huios) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship. of Man?� ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou) Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being. Links John 12:34 NIVJohn 12:34 NLT John 12:34 ESV John 12:34 NASB John 12:34 KJV John 12:34 BibleApps.com John 12:34 Biblia Paralela John 12:34 Chinese Bible John 12:34 French Bible John 12:34 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: John 12:34 The multitude answered him We have heard (Jhn Jo Jn) |