John 7:20

The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”

BSB

“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”

KJV

The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

ASV

The multitude answered, Thou hast a demon: who seeketh to kill thee?

BBE

The people said in answer, You have an evil spirit: who has any desire to put you to death?

Original Greek

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The early church

"Thou hast a devil; who goeth about to kill thee?" The expression is one of wrath and anger, and of a soul made shameless by an unexpected reproof, and put to confusion before their time, as they thought. For just as a sort of robbers who sing over their plots, then when they desire to put him against whom they are plotting off his guard, effect their object by keeping silence, so also do these.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
And they answered: "The crowd answered Him;" answered as a tumultuous crowd, things not pertaining to order, but to confusion; in a word, the crowd was disturbed. See what answer it made: "Thou hast a devil: who seeks to kill thee?" As if it were not worse to say, "Thou hast a devil," than to kill Him. To Him, indeed, was it said, that He had a devil, who was casting out devils. What else can a turbulent disorderly crowd say? What else can filth stirred up do but stink? The crowd was disturbed; by what? By the truth. For the eyes that have not soundness cannot endure the brightness of the light.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Tractates on John
The people return an answer quite away from the subject, and only showing their angry feelings: The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill Thee? He who cast out devils, was told that He had a devil. Our Lord however, in no way disturbed, but retaining all the serenity of truth, returned not evil for evil, or railing for railing.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 14–24

Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them.

Read Matthew Henry on John 7 →

Cross-references

9

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.