Bible Strands
John 4:44
Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records that Jesus had previously declared a prophet receives no honor in his hometown while He was traveling to Galilee after a two-day stay. This statement occurs immediately before His arrival in Galilee, where the locals welcomed Him after witnessing His works in Jerusalem.
The words — The Greek αὐτὸς (autos) literally means "Himself," highlighting Jesus as the direct source of the claim, while ἐμαρτύρησεν (emarturēsen) translates to "testified" or "witnessed." These terms ground the statement in Jesus' own prior declaration rather than secondhand report.
The thread — The same principle appears in Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, and Mark 6:4, where Jesus repeatedly notes that prophets face rejection in their native towns and households. The parallel accounts confirm the recurring pattern of hometown unacceptance.
Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to acknowledge that familiarity often breeds disregard, demanding evaluation of a message independent of the messenger's local reputation. It establishes a historical pattern that separates the content of truth from the social standing of its origin.
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 Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
Cross-references
- Matthew 13:57 And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
- Luke 4:24 Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
- Mark 6:4 Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”