John 7:15

Then the Jewish leaders ¹  were astonished ²  and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?” ³ 

biblegateway Joh 7:15

The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

biblegateway Joh 7:15

The Jews then were astonished, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?"

biblegateway Joh 7:15

The Jewish leaders were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much when he hasn’t studied everything we’ve studied?" they asked.

biblegateway Joh 7:15

The Jews were impressed, but puzzled: "How does he know so much without being schooled?"

SABDAweb Joh 7:15

Then the Jews were surprised and said, How has this man got knowledge of books? He has never been to school.

bibleoremus Joh 7:15

The Jews were astonished at it, saying, "How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?"

biblegateway Joh 7:15

And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"

biblegateway Joh 7:15

Then the Jewish leaders ¹  were astonished ²  and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?” ³ 

¹ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.

² tn Or “began to be astonished.” This imperfect verb could also be translated ingressively (“began to be astonished”), but for English stylistic reasons it is rendered as a simple past.

³ tn Grk “How does this man know learning since he has not been taught?” The implication here is not that Jesus never went to school (in all probability he did attend a local synagogue school while a youth), but that he was not the disciple of a particular rabbi and had not had formal or advanced instruction under a recognized rabbi (compare Acts 4:13 where a similar charge is made against Peter and John; see also Paul’s comment in Acts 22:3).

³ sn He has never had formal instruction. Ironically when the Jewish leaders came face to face with the Word become flesh – the preexistent Logos, creator of the universe and divine Wisdom personified – they treated him as an untaught, unlearned person, without the formal qualifications to be a teacher.