Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

John 5:39

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

KJV

ἐραυνᾶτε τὰς γραφάς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν αὐταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν· καὶ ἐκεῖναί εἰσίν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ·

Greek NT

Scrutamini Scripturas, quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam æternam habere : et illæ sunt quæ testimonium perhibent de me :

Vulgate

Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;

ASV

Search the scriptures: for you think in them to have life everlasting. And the same are they that give testimony of me.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

17 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αἰώνιος
aionios
adjective · 70×
αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γραφή
graphe
noun · 50×
δοκέω
dokeo
verb · 62×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
ζωή
zoe
noun · 135×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
μαρτυρέω
martureo
verb · 76×
περί
peri
preposition · 335×
ἐγώ
ego
pronoun · 1720×
ἐκεῖνος
ekeinos
demonstrative · 240×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ἐρευνάω
ereunao
verb · 6×
ἔχω
echo
verb · 707×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

18 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§702From the beginning until "the fullness of time,"60 The joint mission of the Father's Word and Spirit remains hidden, but it is at work. God's Spirit prepares for the time of the Messiah. Neither is fully revealed but both are already promised, to be watched for and welcomed at their manifestation. So, for this reason, when the Church reads the Old Testament, she searches there …
The Old Testament Scriptures, and those written by Moses in particular, do everywhere make mention of the Son of God, and foretell His advent and passion. From this fact it follows that they were inspired by one and the same God. 1. Wherefore also John does appropriately relate that the Lord said to the Jews: You search the Scriptures, in which you think you have eternal life; …
1. God will not have us listen to the words and sentences contained in the Scriptures carelessly, but with much attention. This is why the blessed David has prefixed in many places to his Psalms the title for understanding, and has said, Open Thou my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Law. Psalm 32:42, etc.; Psalm 119:18 And after him his son again shows that w…
1. A dreadful thing is the love of glory, dreadful and full of many evils; it is a thorn hard to be extracted, a wild beast untamable and many headed, arming itself against those that feed it; for as the worm eats through the wood from which it is born, as rust wastes the iron whence it comes forth, and moths the fleeces, so vainglory destroys the soul which nourishes it; and t…
1. If any one unpracticed in the art undertake to work a mine, he will get no gold, but confounding all aimlessly and together, will undergo a labor unprofitable and pernicious: so also they who understand not the method of Holy Scripture, nor search out its peculiarities and laws, but go over all its points carelessly and in one manner, will mix the gold with earth, and never …
…and 3 more from this source.
My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. The Jews understood rightly that Jesus was making himself equal with God. Calvin shows that Christ's defense is a full assertion of his divine nature: the Son does whatever the Father does. The Father has given all judgment to the Son. The hour is coming when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live — this refers both to t…
Translated from the Latin of Rufinus 1. But as it is not sufficient, in the discussion of matters of such importance, to entrust the decision to the human senses and to the human understanding, and to pronounce on things invisible as if they were seen by us, we must, in order to establish the positions which we have laid down, adduce the testimony of Holy Scripture. And that th…
From the Preface You are not content to fulfil the office, when I am present with you, of a taskmaster to drive me to labour at theology; even when I am absent you demand that I should spend most of my time on you and on the task I have to do for you. I, for my part, am inclined to shrink from toil, and to avoid that danger which threatens from God those who give themselves to …
1. The Work is Taken Up After a Violent Interruption, Which Has Driven the Writer from Alexandria. He Addresses Himself to It Again, with Thanks for His Deliverance, and Prayer for Guidance. When a house is being built which is to be made as strong as possible, the building takes place in fine weather and in calm, so that nothing may hinder the structure from acquiring the need…
29. Now the scope and character of Holy Scripture, as we have often said, is this — it contains a double account of the Saviour; that He was ever God, and is the Son, being the Father's Word and Radiance and Wisdom ; and that afterwards for us He took flesh of a Virgin, Mary Bearer of God , and was made man. And this scope is to be found throughout inspired Scripture, as the Lo…
Even as the prophets from the beginning have spoken concerning him, and as the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and as the Symbol of the Fathers has handed down to us.
It is one and the same God Whom both the Old and the New Testament proclaim, Who is praised and glorified in the Trinity: I have come, says the Lord, not to destroy the law but to fulfil it. Matthew 5:17 For He Himself worked out our salvation for which all Scripture and all mystery exists. And again, Search the Scriptures for they are they that testify of Me. John 5:39 And the…

Cross-references

  • 1John 2:25 — And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
  • 1John 4:14 — And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
  • 1John 5:9 — If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
  • 1Pet 1:10 — Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
  • 1Pet 1:10 — Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
  • 1Tim 4:13 — Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
  • 2Pet 1:19 — We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
  • 2Pet 1:19 — We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
  • 2Tim 3:14 — But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
  • 2Tim 3:15 — And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
  • Acts 3:22 — For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
  • Acts 8:30 — And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
  • Acts 8:32 — The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
  • Acts 13:27 — For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
  • Acts 17:11 — These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
  • Acts 17:11 — These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
  • Acts 18:28 — For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
  • Acts 26:22 — Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
  • Acts 26:27 — King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
  • Col 3:16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
  • Col 3:16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
  • Dan 12:2 — And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
  • Deut 11:18 — Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
  • Deut 17:18 — And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
  • Deut 17:19 — And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
  • Deut 18:15 — The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
  • Deut 18:18 — I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
  • Deut 32:47 — For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
  • Eccl 12:12 — And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
  • Heb 3:5 — And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
  • Heb 11:16 — But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
  • Heb 11:35 — Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
  • Isa 8:20 — To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
  • Isa 8:20 — To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
  • Isa 34:16 — Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.
  • Isa 34:16 — Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.
  • Jer 6:16 — Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
  • Jer 8:9 — The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
  • John 1:45 — Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
  • John 3:21 — But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.