Bible Strands
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Part of the prologue of John's Gospel, bracketed between the statement that all have received grace from Christ's fullness (1:16) and the claim that the Son alone has made the Father known (1:18).
The words — διὰ (dia, "through") is used for both Moses and Jesus Christ, structuring the verse as a parallel; ἐδόθη (edothē, "was given," passive) implies a giver behind the law.
The thread — The law-versus-grace contrast recurs in Romans 6:14, where believers are "not under law, but under grace," and in Romans 3:19, where the law silences every mouth. The "truth" here echoes John 14:6, where Jesus claims to be the truth.
Why it lands — The verse places the reader on one side of the contrast or the other: under the law that was given, or under the grace and truth that came. It does not soften the distinction; it names the two channels and leaves the choice implicit.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Cross-references
- John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Romans 5:20 The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
- John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Hebrews 9:22 According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- John 7:19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”
- 2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
- Hebrews 3:5 Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later.