Bible Strands
John 2:18
On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Following the temple cleansing, the Jewish leaders confront Jesus to challenge His actions. They demand a visible miracle to validate His right to act with such authority.
The words — The Greek term οὖν (oun) functions as a connective "therefore," linking the Jews' demand directly to the preceding events. The verb εἶπαν (eipan) simply records their spoken challenge: "What [sign] can You show us?"
The thread — This demand for a validating miracle recurs in Luke 11:29, Matthew 21:23, and Mark 8:11, where religious figures repeatedly test Jesus by requesting supernatural proof.
Why it lands — The text forces a reader to examine whether faith requires prior evidence or whether authority stands on its own declaration. It demands a direct response to the question of how divine power is authenticated.
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
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Cross-references
- Luke 11:29 As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
- Matthew 21:23 When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Mark 8:11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
- Mark 11:27 After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him.
- John 6:30 So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do?
- Matthew 16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Luke 20:1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.
- John 1:25 asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- Acts 4:7 They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
- Acts 5:28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”