John 7:36
New International Version
What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

New Living Translation
What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

English Standard Version
What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

Berean Standard Bible
What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

Berean Literal Bible
What is this word that He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find Me,' and 'Where I am you are not able to come'?"

King James Bible
What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

New King James Version
What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

New American Standard Bible
What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

NASB 1995
“What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come ‘?”

NASB 1977
“What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

Legacy Standard Bible
What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

Amplified Bible
What does this statement of His mean, ‘You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

Christian Standard Bible
What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
What is this remark He made: ‘You will look for Me, and you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come?”

American Standard Version
What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, ye cannot come?

Contemporary English Version
What did he mean by saying that we will look for him, but won't find him? Why can't we go where he is going?"

English Revised Version
What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
What does he mean when he says, 'You will look for me, but you won't find me,' and 'You can't go where I'm going'?"

Good News Translation
He says that we will look for him but will not find him, and that we cannot go where he will be. What does he mean?"

International Standard Version
What does this statement mean that he said, 'You'll look for me but won't find me,' and, 'Where I am, you cannot come'?"

Majority Standard Bible
What does He mean by saying, ?You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,? and, ?Where I am, you cannot come???

NET Bible
What did he mean by saying, 'You will look for me but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

New Heart English Bible
What is this word that he said, 'You will seek me, but won't find; and where I am, you cannot come'?"

Webster's Bible Translation
What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye will seek me, and will not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

Weymouth New Testament
What do those words of his mean, 'You will look for me, but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

World English Bible
What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me;’ and ‘Where I am, you can’t come’?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
What is this word that He said, You will seek Me, and you will not find? And, Where I am, you are not able to come?”

Berean Literal Bible
What is this word that He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find Me,' and 'Where I am you are not able to come'?"

Young's Literal Translation
what is this word that he said, Ye will seek me, and ye shall not find? and, Where I am, ye are not able to come?'

Smith's Literal Translation
What is the word which he spake, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find: and where I am, ye cannot come?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
What is this saying that he hath said: You shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, you cannot come?

Catholic Public Domain Version
What is this word that he spoke, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me; and where I am, you are not able to go?’ ”

New American Bible
What is the meaning of his saying, ‘You will look for me and not find [me], and where I am you cannot come’?”

New Revised Standard Version
What does he mean by saying, ‘You will search for me and you will not find me’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
What does this word mean which he said, You will seek me and you will not find me; and where I am you cannot come?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“What is this statement that he spoke?: 'You will seek me and will not find me, and wherever I am, you are not able to come?' “
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
What means this saying which he uttered, You will seek me, and will not find me; and, Where I am you can not come?

Godbey New Testament
What is this word which He said, You shall seek me, and not find me: and where I am, you are not able to come?

Haweis New Testament
What is this saying which he hath spoken, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come?

Mace New Testament
what does he mean by saying, "ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I go, thither ye cannot come?"

Weymouth New Testament
What do those words of his mean, 'You will look for me, but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

Worrell New Testament
What is this word that He said, 'Ye will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, ye cannot come?'"

Worsley New Testament
What is the meaning of this speech, that He said, "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am to be, ye cannot come?"

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Is Jesus the Christ?
35At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” 37On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.…

Cross References
John 8:21
Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

John 13:33
Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

John 14:5
“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”

John 16:17-18
Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” / They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”

John 3:33-34
Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. / For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

John 6:62
Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?

John 8:14
Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

John 14:19
In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.

John 16:10
in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;

Proverbs 1:28
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Amos 8:12
People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east, seeking the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.

Hosea 5:6
They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.


Treasury of Scripture

What manner of saying is this that he said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come?

manner.

John 3:4,9
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? …

John 6:41,52,60
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven…

John 12:34
The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Ye shall.

John 7:34
Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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John 7
1. Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10. goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14. teaches in the temple.
40. Various opinions of him among the people.
45. The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50. and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side.














What does He mean by saying,
This phrase reflects the confusion and curiosity of the Jewish leaders and the crowd regarding Jesus' teachings. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus often speaks in ways that are not immediately clear to His listeners, using parables and metaphors. This method of teaching fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 6:9-10, where God tells Isaiah that people will hear but not understand. Jesus' words often require spiritual discernment, which many of His listeners lack.

‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’
This statement can be understood in the context of Jesus' impending crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. After these events, the Jewish leaders and others who rejected Him would seek a Messiah, but they would not find Him because they failed to recognize Him when He was among them. This echoes the theme of spiritual blindness found in John 1:10-11, where Jesus came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. It also foreshadows the separation between believers and non-believers, as those who do not accept Jesus will ultimately be unable to find Him.

and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
This phrase indicates the heavenly realm where Jesus will return after His resurrection. It underscores the separation between those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. In John 14:2-3, Jesus speaks of preparing a place for His followers, implying that only those who believe in Him can join Him in the Father's house. This statement also highlights the exclusivity of salvation through Christ, as seen in John 14:6, where Jesus declares Himself the way, the truth, and the life. The inability to come where Jesus is points to the spiritual and eternal consequences of rejecting Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leaders and the crowd during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. His words are often misunderstood by His audience, leading to confusion and debate.

2. Jewish Leaders
These are the religious authorities who are questioning Jesus' teachings and authority. They are often depicted as skeptical and resistant to Jesus' message.

3. Jerusalem
The city where this event takes place, specifically during the Feast of Tabernacles, a significant Jewish festival that commemorates God's provision during the Israelites' wilderness journey.

4. The Crowd
The general populace present at the feast, who are also trying to understand Jesus' message and its implications.

5. Feast of Tabernacles
A major Jewish festival that serves as the backdrop for this discourse. It is a time of celebration and remembrance of God's faithfulness.
Teaching Points
Understanding Jesus' Words
Jesus often spoke in ways that required spiritual discernment. His statement in John 7:36 challenges us to seek deeper understanding through prayer and study.

The Importance of Timing
Jesus' words highlight the urgency of seeking Him while He is near. This teaches us to prioritize our relationship with Him and not delay in responding to His call.

Spiritual Separation
The inability to find Jesus points to the spiritual separation that sin causes. It serves as a reminder of the need for repentance and reconciliation with God.

Eternal Perspective
Jesus' statement encourages us to focus on eternal matters rather than temporary concerns. It calls us to live with an awareness of our eternal destiny.

Seeking God
The passage underscores the importance of earnestly seeking God, as echoed throughout Scripture. It challenges us to pursue a deeper relationship with Him daily.(36) What manner of saying is this . . .?--We get a better sense by omitting the words in italics, and reading, "What saying is this . . .?" Their scorn does not solve their difficulty, and gives place to wonder. They feel His words cannot mean what they have said. "What, then, do they mean? What is the force of His saying?"

Verse 36. - What is this word (λόγος) which he spake, Ye shall seek me, and ye shall not find (me), and where I am, ye cannot come? This verse is simply a repetition of the Lord's sentence, which, notwithstanding their damaging interpretation and unconscious prophecy of great events, haunted them with a weird power, and left them, as his word left the officers who were silenced and paralyzed by it, with a sense of undiscovered and awful meaning. Both here and in ver. 45 we see that the evangelist had access to the ideas and converse of the "Jews," which proves that he had special sources of information to which the ordinary synoptic tradition was strange. The thought grows upon one that John was more than the mere fisherman of the lake. He was a friend of Nicodemus, and known to Caiaphas. It is clear that some further time elapses. This conversation, of which we have the prominent items, the chief utterances, was producing its effect upon the two-sided multitude, upon "the Jews," the "Pharisees," the city party, the chief priests. The Lord probably retired once more to the house of Lazarus or of John.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
What
τίς (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

does He mean
λόγος (logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

by
ὃν (hon)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

saying,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

‘You will look for
Ζητήσετέ (Zētēsete)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

Me,
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

[but]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you will not find
εὑρήσετέ (heurēsete)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

Me,’
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

and,
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

‘Where
Ὅπου (Hopou)
Adverb
Strong's 3699: Where, whither, in what place. From hos and pou; what(-ever) where, i.e. At whichever spot.

I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

am,
εἰμὶ (eimi)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

you
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

cannot
δύνασθε (dynasthe)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

come’?”
ἐλθεῖν (elthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2064: To come, go.


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NT Gospels: John 7:36 What is this word that he said (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 7:35
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