What Does John 8:17 Mean?
And in your instruction it stands written, that the witness of two people is true.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.THE KEY
The testimony that stands as true here is held up by two witnesses, and the next verse names them.
THE MEANING
A claim does not establish itself by assertion alone; testimony is weighed through corroboration. This verse places the reader inside that standard: what is said becomes established through the witness of more than one.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A sincere claim is enough, by itself, to settle what is true.
THE ROOT
μαρτυρία
martyria
GROWS FROM
μαρτυρέω
martyreō
to bear witness, to testify
The Greek word for testimony belongs to the same word family as the act of bearing witness and the person who witnesses. English makes testimony sound like a statement on its own; the root keeps the witness present inside the testimony.
ALSO GROWS
martys: witness, one who testifies
μάρτυς
The testimony in the verse is inseparable from the witnesses whose words establish it.
martyreō: to bear witness, testify
μαρτυρέω
This is the action behind the testimony: a witness gives evidence about what is true.
martyrion: testimony, evidence
μαρτύριον
This branch shows testimony as evidence that can be presented and weighed.
THE PATTERN
A matter is established through the converging testimony of multiple witnesses.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any crookedness, or for any falling short, in it he misses the mark; upon the mouth of two witnesses, or upon the mouth of three witnesses, the word shall stand.But if he does not hear you, take along with you one or two more, so that upon the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.THE THREAD
I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.The next verse uses the same Greek witness word family: Jesus bears witness about himself, and the Father bears witness about him. It names the two witnesses whose testimony verse 17 says is true.
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