KJV: Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
YLT: 'Doth our law judge the man, if it may not hear from him first, and know what he doth?'
Darby: Does our law judge a man before it have first heard from himself, and know what he does?
ASV: Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?
νόμος | law |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: νόμος Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command. |
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ἡμῶν | of us |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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κρίνει | does judge |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: κρίνω Sense: to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose. |
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ἄνθρωπον | man |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ἄνθρωπος Sense: a human being, whether male or female. |
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ἀκούσῃ | it has heard |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀκουστός Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf. |
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πρῶτον | first |
Parse: Adverb, Superlative Root: πρῶτον Sense: first in time or place. |
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γνῷ | known |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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ποιεῖ | he does |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ποιέω Sense: to make. |
Greek Commentary for John 7:51
Negative answer expected and “the man,” not “a man.” These exponents of the law (John 7:49) were really violating the law of criminal procedure (Exodus 23:1; Deuteronomy 1:16). Probably Nicodemus knew that his protest was useless, but he could at least show his colours and score the point of justice in Christ‘s behalf. Except it first hear from himself Third-class negative condition with εαν μη ean mē and first aorist active subjunctive of ακουω akouō That is common justice in all law, to hear a man‘s side of the case (“from him,” παρ αυτου par' autou). And know what he doeth Continuation of the same condition with second aorist active subjunctive of γινωσκω ginōskō with indirect question and present active indicative There was no legal answer to the point of Nicodemus. [source]
Literally, the man, whoever he may be, that comes before them. [source]
Rev., more correctly, except it first hear. Hear him, is an inadequate rendering of παρ ' αὐτοῦ , which is, as Rev., from himself; παρά , implying from beside, i.e., from his side of the case. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:51
Explained by John as one of the two disciples of the Baptist and identified as the brother of the famous Simon Peter (cf. also John 6:8; John 12:22). The more formal call of Andrew and Simon, James and John, comes later (Mark 1:16.; Matthew 4:18.; Luke 3:1-11). That heard John speak “That heard from John,” a classical idiom (παρα para with ablative after ακουω akouō) seen also in John 6:45; John 7:51; John 8:26, John 8:40; John 15:15. [source]