How should we understand λαμβάνω in John 5:34?

Question

How should we understand λαμβάνω in John 5:34?

ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν λαμβάνω, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγω ἵνα ὑμεῖς σωθῆτε. (John 5:34, NA27)

While many more literal translations translate λαμβάνω as receive or accept:

Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. (John 5:34, ESV)

I don’t receive man’s testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. (John 5:34, HCSB)

Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. (John 5:34–35, NIV)

The more paraphrased translations translate λαμβάνω differently, but with a somewhat common theme:

It is not that I must have a human witness; I say this only in order that you may be saved. (John 5:34, TEV)

Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. (John 5:34, NLT)

It is not that I need what humans say; I tell you this so you can be saved. (John 5:34, NCB)

But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. (John 5:34, The Message)

More specifically, I’m asking is there a linguistic reason for how λαμβάνω is paraphrased, or is it solely based on context? Even BAGD only assigns a more literal meaning to this verse:

d. receive, accept … J 5:34; ….

Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1979). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature : a translation and adaption of the fourth revised and augmented edition of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-deutsches Worterbuch zu den Schrift en des Neuen Testaments und der ubrigen urchristlichen Literatur (p. 464). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Answer 1

BDAG offers two translations of John 5:34:

• the testimony I receive is not from a human being, or,
• I will not accept mere human testimony (note that "mere" had to be added)

The matter at stake here is: What, primarily, is the word "not" [οὐ (ou)] attached to? In the first option above it is attached to "from man" and thus serves as a negation of the entire sentence; and in the second option it is attached to "receive/accept".

The most literal word-for-word rendering (which is often misleading) is the first because of placement and proximity. However, οὐ (ou) is an adverb of negation which (strictly grammatically) applies to the verb, λαμβάνω (lambanō = accept/receive) which lends weight to the second option - hence the more literal Bible versions.

Neither option is completely wrong. I presume that the more paraphrased versions have noticed the literary contrast made between v33 & v34 - the Jews wanted John (a human's) testimony (v33), but Jesus does not accept nor need a human testimony.

I personally prefer "But I do not accept the testimony from humans … ", because the alternative implies here (but is absent from the immediate text) that Jesus has available the testimony from heaven. While this is true, that is not what the text is saying. Jesus wants us to accept Him for what He is, "so that you might be saved" (John 5:34b).

The Pulpit Commentary notes that:

Verse 34. - But I for my part receive not the witness which affirms my Sonship from a man; or, yet the witness which I receive is not from man. Some have given the stronger meaning of "take hold," or "snatch," or "strive after," to λαμβάνω. But this is unnecessary, for emphasis is laid on the article, "the witness," which is real, infallible, convincing, commanding, must come from the highest source of all. Yet, though Christ cannot depend upon John's testimony, it ought to have had weight with his hearers. It called them to repentance, to holy living, to faith in the Coming One.

Answer 2

Thayer has two pages on the verb λαμβανο which are headed up :

I - to take with the hand, lay hold of

II - to receive

My 1,700 page Liddell & Scott (American Edition 1854), similarly has a couple of columns summed up as :

A - to take hold of, grasp, seize

B - to have given one, receive, get

The KJV, Young's Literal, and the Englishman's Greek New Testament all agree :

But I receive not testimony from man [KJV]

But I do not receive testimony from man [YLT]

I but not from man witness receive [EGNT literal]

The Douay Rheims also agrees :

But I receive not testimony from man [D-R]

and the Wycliffe . . and J N Darby . . . and Tyndale :

But I take not witness from man [Wyc]

But I do not receive witness from man [JND]

But I receive not the record of man [Tyn]

I can see no reason whatsoever for the 'paraphrased' versions to depart from the above.

Answer 3

The closest translation here might be something like take. Need is also not far off in this context either, I think.

---

The Lord says specifically (in Greek translation) Ἐγὼ οὐ λαμβάνω τὴν μαρτυρίαν.* Mαρτυρία (marturía) - wherein we see the English word martyr - is translated in some instances as testimony but maybe is better here as witness.

The meaning of the phrase is that He does not need any man - including John - to bear witness for Him, but I say these things that you may be saved. That is, He mentions John because of the honor in which he is held.

Theophylact's commentary - written in Greek (11th c.) - explains this verse:

He mentions the witness [μαρτυρία] of John, not because Christ needed a witness, but to convince the Jews who believed John. Christ did not need John's witness, for He had the witness of His works (v.36). However, the Jews held John in high esteem, and so Christ mentions him to show that even John gave testimony to Him. For Christ says, But I receive not testimony from man. That is, "I do not need any witness of John [Ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐδεμίαν δεήσει τοῦ μαρτύρου], but I mention him for your sake, because you honor him" (PG 126:1041-1042).

---

^{* Of course Jesus did not literally say Ἐγὼ οὐ λαμβάνω τὴν μαρτυρίαν, since He would have spoken Aramaic, not Greek, but we are trusting John to have translated from Aramaic to Greek as faithfully as possible. The Peshitta version of John 5:34 - written in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic - is translated by the Lamsa Bible as Not that I receive testimony from man; but I say these things so that you may be saved.}