John 7:41
What does John 7:41 mean?
A plain-English look at John 7:41 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 7:41 means
Others declare, “This is the Christ.” They see in Jesus’ words and works the marks of the anointed King. Yet immediately, some object, asking if the Christ comes from Galilee. Their challenge rests on incomplete information: Jesus was raised in Nazareth but born in Bethlehem and is of David’s line. The verse illustrates how true confession coexists with persistent misconceptions in the same crowd. It also shows how surface-level knowledge can be weaponized to dismiss genuine faith. The question presses the issue of Jesus’ identity while revealing how preconceptions hinder recognition of fulfilled prophecy.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Others said, This is the Christ. But others said, Not so; will the Christ come from Galilee?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862others said, `This is the Christ;' and others said, `Why, out of Galilee doth the Christ come?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Others said, This is the Christ. Others said, Does then the Christ come out of Galilee?
Context
The confession that Jesus is the Christ meets immediate resistance grounded in geography. The next verse cites Scripture about the Christ coming from David’s seed and Bethlehem (verse 42), a correct expectation misapplied due to ignorance of Jesus’ birth. This back-and-forth generates a rift among the people (verse 43) and emboldens some to try seizing Him again (verse 44), yet without success.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 1:49
Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel.
- John 7:31
But of the multitude many believed on him; and they said, When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man hath done?
- John 7:52
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
- John 1:41
He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ).
- Matthew 16:14
And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
- John 1:46
And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
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