Bible Strands
John 7:13
Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator observes that during the feast, no one spoke openly about Jesus because of Jewish authorities. This report bridges divided crowd murmuring in the previous verse and Jesus' subsequent public teaching in the temple courts.
The words — παρρησίᾳ (parrēsia) translates literally to "publicly" or "with boldness," paired with the imperfect verb ἐλάλει (elalei) meaning "was speaking." The text states οὐδεὶς (oudeis) "no one" engaged in this open speech about Him.
The thread — This specific fear of Jewish authorities silencing public acknowledgment recurs in John 9:22, John 12:42, and John 19:38. Each passage records individuals withholding confession or action to avoid persecution by religious leaders.
Why it lands — The verse records that religious pressure can suppress public speech about Jesus. It requires the reader to identify what fear currently dictates silence or inaction regarding Him.
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
Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
Cross-references
- John 9:22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.
- John 19:38 Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body.
- John 12:42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.
- John 20:19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
- Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
- Revelation 2:13 I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
- John 3:2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.”
- John 9:34 They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.
- Galatians 2:12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.
- 2 Timothy 2:9 for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!