Matthew 26:61
New International Version
and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

New Living Translation
who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

English Standard Version
and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’”

Berean Standard Bible
and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

Berean Literal Bible
they said, "This man has been saying, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'"

King James Bible
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

New King James Version
and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”

NASB 1995
and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”

NASB 1977
and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the sanctuary of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”

Amplified Bible
and testified, “This man said, ‘I am able to tear down the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

Christian Standard Bible
stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
stated, “This man said, ‘I can demolish God’s sanctuary and rebuild it in three days.’”

American Standard Version
and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Contemporary English Version
and said, "This man claimed he could tear down God's temple and build it again in three days."

English Revised Version
and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They stated, "This man said, 'I can tear down God's temple and rebuild it in three days.'"

Good News Translation
and said, "This man said, 'I am able to tear down God's Temple and three days later build it back up.'"

International Standard Version
and stated, "This man said, 'I can destroy the sanctuary of God and rebuild it in three days.'"

Majority Standard Bible
and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

NET Bible
and declared, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"

New Heart English Bible
and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
And said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Weymouth New Testament
who testified, "This man said, 'I am able to pull down the Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'"

World English Bible
and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
said, “This One said, I am able to throw down the temple of God, and after three days to build it.”

Berean Literal Bible
they said, "This man has been saying, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'"

Young's Literal Translation
said, 'This one said, I am able to throw down the sanctuary of God, and after three days to build it.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And afterwards two false witnesses, having come near, said, This said, I can loosen the temple of God, and after three days build it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said: This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three days to rebuild it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and they said, “This man said: ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and, after three days, to rebuild it.’ ”

New American Bible
who stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And said, This man said, I can tear down the temple of God, and build it in three days.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were saying: “This one said, 'I can destroy The Temple of God and in three days I shall build it.'”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and said: This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Godbey New Testament
And afterwards two false witnesses having come forward, said, He said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and build it in three days.

Haweis New Testament
said, This fellow said, I am able to pull down the temple of God, and to build it up in three days.

Mace New Testament
"I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."

Weymouth New Testament
who testified, "This man said, 'I am able to pull down the Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'"

Worrell New Testament
said, "This Man, said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"

Worsley New Testament
This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”…

Cross References
John 2:19-21
Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” / “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?” / But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.

Mark 14:58
“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’”

Acts 6:14
For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

Matthew 27:40
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

John 10:18
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Ephesians 2:19-22
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, / built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. / In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ...

Hebrews 9:11
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.

Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

Psalm 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Zechariah 6:12-13
And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD. / Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’

Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

Jeremiah 7:4
Do not trust in deceptive words, saying: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’


Treasury of Scripture

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

This.

Matthew 26:71
And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew 12:24
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Genesis 19:9
And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

I am.

Matthew 27:40
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Jeremiah 26:8-11,16-19
Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die…

Mark 15:29
And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

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Able Afterwards Build Declared Destroy Destruction Fellow Later New Pull Rebuild Sanctuary Stated Temple Testified Three Throw
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Able Afterwards Build Declared Destroy Destruction Fellow Later New Pull Rebuild Sanctuary Stated Temple Testified Three Throw
Matthew 26
1. Jesus foretells his own death.
3. The rulers conspire against him.
6. The woman anoints his feet.
14. Judas bargains to betray him.
17. Jesus eats the Passover;
26. institutes his holy supper;
30. foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36. prays in the garden;
47. and being betrayed by a kiss,
57. is carried to Caiaphas,
69. and denied by Peter.














This man said
In this phrase, the accusers are referring to Jesus with a dismissive tone, indicating their intent to undermine His authority and credibility. The Greek word for "man" here is "οὗτος" (houtos), which can imply a certain disdain or contempt. This reflects the hostility of the religious leaders towards Jesus, who felt threatened by His teachings and growing influence. Historically, this moment is set during Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, where false witnesses were brought forward to accuse Him. The setting is charged with tension, as the religious leaders are determined to find grounds to condemn Jesus.

I am able to destroy the temple of God
The phrase "I am able" comes from the Greek "δύναμαι" (dynamai), which denotes capability or power. Jesus' statement about destroying the temple was a profound declaration that was misunderstood by His accusers. The "temple of God" refers to the sacred center of Jewish worship in Jerusalem, a place of immense religious significance. In the historical context, the temple was not only a physical structure but also a symbol of God's presence among His people. Jesus' words were prophetic, alluding to His death and resurrection, where His body would be the new temple, destroyed and raised in three days.

and rebuild it in three days
The concept of rebuilding "in three days" is a reference to Jesus' resurrection. The Greek word for "rebuild" is "οἰκοδομέω" (oikodomeo), which means to construct or restore. This was a radical claim, as the physical temple took years to build. However, Jesus was speaking metaphorically about His body, which would be resurrected after three days. This prophecy is central to Christian faith, symbolizing victory over death and the establishment of a new covenant. The number three holds significant biblical symbolism, often associated with completeness and divine perfection, underscoring the divine nature of Jesus' mission and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

(61) This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God.--It is remarkable that the two Gospels which record the charge do not record the words in which it had its starting-point. Apparently, the second cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12) had revived the memory of the first, and brought back to men's minds the words that had then been spoken--"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). What was now reported was a sufficiently natural distortion of what had then been said. St. Mark adds that even then the witnesses did not agree. There were still discrepancies as to time, place, and the exact words, that did not fit in with the established rules of evidence.

Verse 61. - This fellow (οῦτος). Contemptuously, displaying their animosity by the disrespectful use of the pronoun. I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. This is a distorted account of what our Lord said at his first purgation of the temple, when asked to give a sign in proof of his authority. Speaking metaphorically of his body, he had made this announcement, "Destroy ye this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). At the time the Jews had not understood the words, and they now pervert them into a criminal accusation, which might take the form of charging him with being either an impious fomenter of disturbance, or a pretender to superhuman powers, Divine or Satanic. In either case, the charge would bring him into collision with the Roman authorities, which was the real object of this preliminary inquiry. We must not forget that Christ had twice interfered with the traffic in the temple, which was carried on to the great profit of the avaricious family of Annas, and that the malice of the high priests was on this account greatly embittered.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[and] said,
εἶπαν (eipan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“This [man]
Οὗτος (Houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

declared,
ἔφη (ephē)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

‘I am able
Δύναμαι (Dynamai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

to destroy
καταλῦσαι (katalysai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2647: From kata and luo; to loosen down, i.e. to demolish; specially to halt for the night.

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.

temple
ναὸν (naon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3485: A temple, a shrine, that part of the temple where God himself resides. From a primary naio; a fane, shrine, temple.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

rebuild it
οἰκοδομῆσαι (oikodomēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3618: From the same as oikodome; to be a house-builder, i.e. Construct or confirm.

in
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

three
τριῶν (triōn)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

days.’”
ἡμερῶν (hēmerōn)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 26:61 And said This man said 'I (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 26:60
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