John 7:15
New International Version
The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

New Living Translation
The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

English Standard Version
The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

Berean Standard Bible
The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”

Berean Literal Bible
Then the Jews were marveling, saying, "How does this one know such writings, not having studied?"

King James Bible
And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

New King James Version
And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

New American Standard Bible
The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, not having been educated?”

NASB 1995
The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?”

NASB 1977
The Jews therefore were marveling, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?”

Legacy Standard Bible
The Jews then were marveling, saying, “How has this man become learned, not having been educated?”

Amplified Bible
Then the Jews were perplexed. They said, “How did this man become learned [so versed in the Scriptures and theology] without formal training?”

Christian Standard Bible
Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned, since he hasn’t been trained? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How does He know the Scriptures, since He hasn’t been trained?”

American Standard Version
The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Judeans were astonished and were saying, “How does this man know the scrolls, having not learned?”

Contemporary English Version
The leaders were surprised and said, "How does this man know so much? He has never been taught!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having never learned?

English Revised Version
The Jews therefore marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Jews were surprised and asked, "How can this man be so educated when he hasn't gone to school?"

Good News Translation
The Jewish authorities were greatly surprised and said, "How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?"

International Standard Version
The Jewish leaders were astonished and remarked, "How can this man be so educated when he has never gone to school?"

Literal Standard Version
and the Jews were wondering, saying, “How has this One known letters—having not learned?”

Majority Standard Bible
The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”

New American Bible
The Jews were amazed and said, “How does he know scripture without having studied?”

NET Bible
Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, "How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?"

New Revised Standard Version
The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?”

New Heart English Bible
Then the Jewish leaders were astonished, saying, "How does this man know such writings, having never been educated?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

Weymouth New Testament
The Jews were astonished. "How does this man know anything of books," they said, "although he has never been at any of the schools?"

World English Bible
The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”

Young's Literal Translation
and the Jews were wondering, saying, 'How hath this one known letters -- not having learned?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
14About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?” 16“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 10:11
All those who had formerly known Saul and saw him prophesying with the prophets asked one another, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Luke 2:47
And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

John 1:19
And this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?"

John 7:11
So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, "Where is He?"

John 7:13
Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.

Acts 4:13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 26:24
At this stage of Paul's defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!"


Treasury of Scripture

And the Jews marveled, saying, How knows this man letters, having never learned?

marvelled.

John 7:46
The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

Matthew 7:28,29
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: …

Matthew 22:22,33
When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way…

How.

Matthew 13:54
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Mark 6:2,3
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? …

Luke 4:22
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

letters.

Amos 7:14,15
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: …

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Although Amazed Astonished Books Educated Jews Letters Marveled Marvelled School Schools Studied Surprised Wondered Wondering
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Although Amazed Astonished Books Educated Jews Letters Marveled Marvelled School Schools Studied Surprised Wondered Wondering
John 7
1. Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10. goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14. teaches in the temple.
40. Various opinions of him among the people.
45. The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50. and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side.














(15) How knoweth this man letters?--Their spirit is seen in that at which they marvel. It is not the substance of His teaching that excites their attention, but the fact that He who has never been technically trained as a Rabbi is acquainted with the literature of the schools. (See Acts 26:24, "much learning," where "learning" represents the word here rendered "letters.") He is to them as a layman and unlearned (comp. Note on Acts 4:13), not known in the circles of the professional expounders--a demagogue, who deceived the multitude; and they hear Him speaking with a learning and wisdom that excites their wonder, and unlocking mysteries of which they thought that they only possessed the key.

Verse 15. - The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, etc. "The Jews," as elsewhere, mean the ruling and learned class, the men of power and weight in the metropolis, who must have heard his teaching. The immediate effect of the appearance and words was great astonishment. In spite of themselves, they are moved by the command he manifested over all the springs of thought and feeling. The point of their astonishment is, not that he is wise and true, but that he could teach without having been taught in their schools. How doth this man know letters? (not the "Holy Scriptures," ἱερα γράμματα, nor πάσας γραφάς, but simply γράμματα, literature, such as we teach it; cf. Acts 26:24). He can interpret our oracles; he is acquainted with the methods of teaching, though he has not learned - has never sat in any of our schools. Saul of Tarsus was brought up at the feet of Gomaliel. And ordinarily a man was compelled to undergo a lengthened noviciate in the schools before he was allowed to assume the office of a teacher. The inherited wisdom of the past is in the great majority of cases the basis of the most conspicuous teaching of the most original and unique of the great sages. The "Jews" were sufficiently acquainted with the origin and training of Jesus to be astonished at his knowledge of the interpretations of Scripture and other wisdom. "This tells powerfully against all attempts, ancient and modern, to trace back the wisdom of Jesus to some school of human culture" (Meyer). The attempts to establish a connection between the teaching of Christ and the hidden wisdom of the Zendavesta, or esoteric utterances of Buddha, or even the traditionary teaching of the Essenes, or the Platonizing schools of Alexandria or Ephesus, have failed. The mystery of his training as a man in the village of Nazareth is one of the evidences given to the world that there was an unknown element in his consciousness. He had not even the advantage of the schools of Hillel or Gamaliel. His own wondrous soul, by much pondering on the genuine significance of the Scriptures, is the only explanation to which even his enemies can appeal. Jesus knew the meaning, heard the murmuring of their surprise on this head, and so we read -

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
The
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

were amazed
ἐθαύμαζον (ethaumazon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2296: (a) intrans: I wonder, marvel, (b) trans: I wonder at, admire. From thauma; to wonder; by implication, to admire.

[and] asked,
λέγοντες (legontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“How
Πῶς (Pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

{did} this [man]
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

attain
οἶδεν (oiden)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

[such] learning
γράμματα (grammata)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1121: From grapho; a writing, i.e. A letter, note, epistle, book, etc. plural learning.

without
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

having studied?”
μεμαθηκώς (memathēkōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3129: Prolongation from a primary verb, another form of which, matheo, is used as an alternate in certain tenses; to learn.


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NT Gospels: John 7:15 The Jews therefore marveled saying How does (Jhn Jo Jn)
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