GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
and didn't need anyone to tell him about human nature. He knew what people were really like.

King James Bible
And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man.

Darby Bible Translation
and that he had not need that any should testify of man, for himself knew what was in man.

English Revised Version
and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Webster's Bible Translation
And needed not that any should testify concerning man: for he knew what was in man.

Weymouth New Testament
and did not need any one's testimony concerning a man, for He of Himself knew what was in the man.

World English Bible
and because he didn't need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Young's Literal Translation
and because he had no need that any should testify concerning man, for he himself was knowing what was in man.

Cross References

Deuteronomy 31:21 "Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore."

1 Kings 8:39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men,

Isaiah 11:3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?

John 1:42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas " (which is translated Peter).

John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"

John 6:61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?

John 6:64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.

John 13:11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."

Commentary

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Verses 23-25

We have here an account of the success, the poor success, of Christ's preaching and miracles at Jerusalem, while he kept the passover there. Observe,

I. That our Lord Jesus, when he was at Jerusalem at the passover, did preach and work miracles. People's believing on him implied that he preached; and it is expressly said, They saw the miracles he did. He was now in Jerusalem, the holy city, whence the word of the Lord was to go froth. His residence was mostly in Galilee, and therefore when he was in Jerusalem he was very busy. The time was holy time, the feast-day, time appointed for the service of God; at the passover the Levites taught the good knowledge of the Lord (2 Chr. 30:22), and Christ took that opportunity of preaching, when the concourse of people was great, and thus he would own and honour the divine institution of the passover.

II. That hereby many were brought to believe in his name, to acknowledge him a teacher come from God, as Nicodemus did (ch. 3:2), a great prophet; and, probably, some of those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem believed him to be the Messiah promised, so ready were they to welcome the first appearance of that bright and morning star.

III. That yet Jesus did not commit himself unto them (v. 24): ouk episteuen heauton autois- He did not trust himself with them. It is the same word that is used for believing in him. So that to believe in Christ is to commit ourselves to him and to his guidance. Christ did not see cause to repose any confidence in these new converts at Jerusalem, where he had many enemies that sought to destroy him, either, 1. Because they were false, at least some of them, and would betray him if they had an opportunity, or were strongly tempted to do so. He had more disciples that he could trust among the Galileans than among the dwellers at Jerusalem. In dangerous times and places, it is wisdom to take heed in whom you confide; memneµso apistein-learn to distrust. Or, 2. Because they were weak, and I would hope that this was the worst of it; not that they were treacherous and designed him a mischief, but, (1.) They were timorous, and wanted zeal and courage, and might perhaps be frightened to do a wrong thing. In times of difficulty and danger, cowards are not fit to be trusted. Or, (2.) They were tumultuous, and wanted discretion and management. These in Jerusalem perhaps had their expectations of the temporal reign of the Messiah more raised than others, and, in that expectation, would be ready to give some bold strokes at the government if Christ would have committed himself to them and put himself at the head of them; but he would not, for his kingdom is not of this world. We should be shy of turbulent unquiet people, as our Master here was, though they profess to believe in Christ, as these did.

IV. That the reason why he did not commit himself to them was because he knew them (v. 25), knew the wickedness of some and the weakness of others. The evangelist takes this occasion to assert Christ's omniscience. 1. He knew all men, not only their names and faces, as it is possible for us to know many, but their nature, dispositions, affections, designs, as we do not know any man, scarcely ourselves. He knows all men, for his powerful hand made them all, his piercing eye sees them all, sees into them. He knows his subtle enemies, and all their secret projects; his false friends, and their true characters; what they really are, whatever they pretend to be. He knows them that are truly his, knows their integrity, and knows their infirmity too. He knows their frame. 2. He needed not that any should testify of man. His knowledge was not by information from others, but by his own infallible intuition. It is the infelicity of earthly princes that they must see with other men's eyes, and hear with other men's ears, and take things as they are represented to them; but Christ goes purely upon his own knowledge. Angels are his messengers, but not his spies, for his own eyes run to and fro through the earth, 2 Chr. 16:9. This may comfort us in reference to Satan's accusations, that Christ will not take men's characters from him. 3. He knew what was in man; in particular persons, in the nature and race of man. We know what is done by men; Christ knows what is in them, tries the heart and the reins. This is the prerogative of that essential eternal Word, Heb. 4:12, 13. We invade his prerogative if we presume to judge men's hearts. How fit is Christ to be the Saviour of men, very fit to be the physician, who has such a perfect knowledge of the patient's state and case, temper and distemper; knows what is in him! How fit also to be the Judge of all! For the judgment of him who knows all men, all in men, must needs be according to truth.

Now this is all the success of Christ's preaching and miracles at Jerusalem, in this journey. The Lord comes to his temple, and none come to him but a parcel of weak simple people, that he can neither have credit from nor put confidence in; yet he shall at length see of the travail of his soul.

Calvin's Commentary

23. And when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, many believed in his name, beholding the signs which he performed. 24. But Jesus himself did not confide in them, because he knew them all. [53] 25. And needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man.

23. Many believed. The Evangelist appropriately connects this narrative with the former. Christ had not given such a sign as the Jews demanded; and now, when he produced no good effect on them by many miracles -- except that they entertained a cold faith, which was only the shadow of faith -- this event sufficiently proves that they did not deserve that he should comply with their wishes. It was, indeed, some fruit of the signs, that many believed in Christ, and in his name, so as to profess that they wished to follow his doctrine; for name is here put for authority. This appearance of faith, which hitherto was fruitless, might ultimately be changed into true faith, and might be a useful preparation for celebrating the name of Christ among others; and yet what we have said is true, that they were far from having proper feelings, so as to profit by the works of God, as they ought to have done.

Yet this was not a pretended faith by which they wished to gain reputation among men; for they were convinced that Christ was some great Prophet, and perhaps they even ascribed to him the honor of being the Messiah, of whom there was at that time a strong and general expectation. But as they did not understand the peculiar office of the Messiah, their faith was absurd, because it was exclusively directed to the world and earthly things. It was also a cold belief, and unaccompanied by the true feelings of the heart. For hypocrites assent to the Gospel, not that they may devote themselves in obedience to Christ, nor that with sincere piety they may follow Christ when he calls them, but because they do not venture to reject entirely the truth which they have known, and especially when they can find no reason for opposing it. For as they do not voluntarily, or of their own accord, make war with God, so when they perceive that his doctrine is opposed to their flesh and to their perverse desires, they are immediately offended, or at least withdraw from the faith which they had already embraced.

When the Evangelist says, therefore, that those men believed, I do not understand that they counterfeited a faith which did not exist, but that they were in some way constrained to enroll themselves as the followers of Christ; and yet it appears that their faith was not true and genuine, because Christ excludes them from the number of those on whose sentiments reliance might be placed. Besides, that faith depended solely on miracles, and had no root in the Gospel, and therefore could not be steady or permanent. Miracles do indeed assist the children of God in arriving at the truth; but it does not amount to actual believing, when they admire the power of God so as merely to believe that it is true, but not to subject themselves wholly to it. And, therefore, when we speak generally about faith, let us know that there is a kind of faith which is perceived by the understanding only, and afterwards quickly disappears, because it is not fixed in the heart; and that is the faith which James calls dead; but true faith always depends on the Spirit of regeneration, (James 2:17, 20, 26.) Observe, that all do not derive equal profit from the works of God; for some are led by them to God, and others are only driven by a blind impulse, so that, while they perceive indeed the power of God, still they do not cease to wander in their own imaginations.

24. But Christ did not rely on them. Those who explain the meaning to be, that Christ was on his guard against them, because he knew that they were not upright and faithful, do not appear to me to express sufficiently well the meaning of the Evangelist. Still less do I agree with what Augustine says about recent converts. The Evangelist rather means, in my opinion, that Christ did not reckon them to be genuine disciples, but despised them as volatile and unsteady. It is a passage which ought to be carefully observed, that not all who profess to be Christ's followers are such in his estimation. But we ought also to add the reason which immediately follows:

Because he knew them all. Nothing is more dangerous than hypocrisy, for this reason among others, that it is an exceedingly common fault. There is scarcely any man who is not pleased with himself; and while we deceive ourselves by empty flatteries, we imagine that God is blind like ourselves. But here we are reminded how widely his judgment differs from ours; for he sees clearly those things which we cannot perceive, because they are concealed by some disguise; and he estimates according to their hidden source, that is, according to the most secret feeling of the heart, those things which dazzle our eyes by false luster. This is what Solomon says, that

God weighs in his balance the hearts of men, while they flatter themselves in their ways, (Proverbs 21:2.)

Let us remember, therefore, that none are the true disciples of Christ but those whom He approves, because in such a matter He alone is competent to decide and to judge.

A question now arises: when the Evangelist says that Christ knew them all, does he mean those only of whom he had lately spoken, or does the expression refer to the whole human race? Some extend it to the universal nature of man, and think that the whole world is here condemned for wicked and perfidious hypocrisy. And, certainly, it is a true statement, that Christ can find in men no reason why he should deign to place them in the number of his followers; but I do not see that this agrees with the context, and therefore I limit it to those who had been formerly mentioned.

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New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

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Alphabetical: a about and anyone because concerning did for He Himself in knew man man's need not testify testimony to was what

Bible Browser

March 13 Morning
There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.--I TIM. 2:5. Forasmuch . . . as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.--In Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace.--By his own blood he entered …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 6 Morning
He ever liveth to make intercession.--HEB. 7:25. Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died . . . who also maketh intercession for us.--Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.--There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Seeing . . . that we have a great …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 9 Evening
My feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.--PSA. 73:2. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. The Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.--Although he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise: when …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 25 Morning
Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins--MATT. 1:21. Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins.--That we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.--He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.--Thus it behoved …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 8 Morning
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.--I JOHN 1:9. I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.--I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

March 17 Evening
In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.--HEB. 4:15. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food (the lust of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (the lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. When the tempter came to [Jesus], he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread (the lust of the flesh). …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 27 Morning
Brethren, the time is short.--I COR. 7:29. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.--The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.--As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Death is swallowed up in victory.--Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

August 17 Evening
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place therof shall know it no more.--PSA. 103:15,16. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.--What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.--The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

October 13 Evening
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.--MATT. 6:10. Understanding what the will of the Lord is. It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. This is the will of God, even your sanctification.--That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.--Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth: wherefore lay apart all filthiness. Be ye holy; for I am holy.--[Jesus] said, Whosoever …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

November 5 Evening
The fashion of this world passeth away.--I COR. 7:31. All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning beat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.--For …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

January 17 Evening
The things which are.--REV. 1:19. Now we see through a glass, darkly.--Now we see not yet all things put under him. We have . . . 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.--Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

November 5 Morning
Take thou also unto thee principal spices, and thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment.--EXO. 30:23,25. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.--One Spirit.--Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.--God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.--God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 30 Morning
Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.--I JOHN 2:5. The God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.--If a man love me, he will keep my …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

August 1 Morning
The fruit of the Spirit is . . . faith.--GAL. 5:22. By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.--Without faith it is impossible to please him.--He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.--Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.--Faith …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 10 Evening
All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.--II TIM. 3:12. I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.--Whosoever . . . will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.--Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 11 Morning
Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.--ROM. 12:2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

May 11 Morning
Awake to righteousness, and sin not.--I COR. 15:34. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.--Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

May 17 Morning
I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them.--EZEK. 20:19. As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.--He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.--Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.--Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 17 Evening
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.--PSA. 34:8. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: he saith, . . . Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. The ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. --I believed, and therefore have I spoken.--I know whom I have believed.--I sat down under his …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

The First Miracle in Cana --The Water Made Wine
'This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory.'--JOHN ii. 11. The keynote of this Gospel was struck in the earlier verses of the first chapter in the great words, 'The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, full of grace and truth.' To these words there is an evident reference in this language. The Evangelist regards Christ's first miracle as the first ray of that forth-flashing glory of the Incarnate Word. To this Evangelist all …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ Cleansing the Temple
'Take these things hence; make not My Father's house an house of merchandise.'--JOHN ii. 16. The other Evangelists do not record this cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of Christ's ministry, but, as we all know, tell of a similar act at its very close. John, on the other hand, has no notice of the latter incident. The question, then, naturally arises, are these diverse narratives accounts of the same event? The answer seems to me to be in the negative, because John's Gospel is evidently intended …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Destroyers and the Restorer
'Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'--JOHN ii. 19. This is our Lord's answer to the Jewish request for a sign which should warrant His action in cleansing the Temple. There are two such cleansings recorded in the Gospels; this one His first public act, and another, omitted by John, but recorded in the other Gospels, which was almost His last public act. It has been suggested that these are but two versions of one incident; and although there …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jesus the Joy-Bringer
'And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2. And both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage. 3. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine. 4. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. 5. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it. 6. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture