John 5:31 Meaning and Explanation
“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus takes up the law's own standard: testimony a man gives about himself, standing alone, is not received.
What Does John 5:31 Mean?
Jesus now answers the unspoken objection: why should anyone believe such claims? The law required every matter to stand on two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15), and by that courtroom standard a man's unsupported word about himself is not received. Jesus accepts the rule rather than waiving it.
So he will not ask for blind belief. He calls his witnesses one by one in the verses that follow: John the Baptist, the works themselves, the Father, and the scriptures. Faith in Christ is not credulity; it answers testimony God himself has supplied, and the court is about to hear it.
John 5:31 in the Original Language
martyria (μαρτυρία), 'witness' -- testimony given as evidence; the family of words behind martyr.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 5:31
What does John 5:31 mean?
Jesus takes up the law's own standard: testimony a man gives about himself, standing alone, is not received.