What scripture does John 7:38 quote from? 

What scripture does John 7:38 quote from? 

It is often asserted that the Bible has inconsistencies, contradictions and errors. When demonstrating this “fact”, many examples are often cited. One such example can be found in the Gospel of John where John records Jesus as having said “as the scripture has said” 

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

It is pointed out that the words that John records Jesus as having said following his pronouncing as scripture aid, cannot be found anywhere in scripture and so it is asserted that John is in error. In essence it is claimed that John made up the words and put them onto the lips of Jesus. 

So, is this an actual error, did John actually attribute Jesus as having said something that he did not say?

Maybe John was correct and Jesus did say what John wrote he did and Jesus actually incorrectly quoted scripture. We should not automatically assume that it was John who was incorrect. I must say that if Jesus was who he said that he was it is very unlikely that he would misquote scripture.  Or can it be explained in another way? 

I believe that this can be explained and demonstrated to not be an error as is claimed it is. 

The reason this is misunderstood is because the verse is being isolated and taken out of context, this is more often than not going to cause problems. Sometimes the answer is not always as straightforward as we would like and we need to do a little bit of study in order to understand what is being said. 

If we solely focus on verse 38 then we will miss vital information that is required to understand what Jesus really meant by his statement. 

To add a little context we need to include the FULL statement of Jesus as recorded by John. To do this we need to look at verses 37, 38 and 39.

John 7: 37In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Now, notice Jesus starts off by saying in verse 37 if any man thirst come to me and drink. In verse 38 Jesus refers to living water. 

So if any man is thirsty, come and drink, believe in Jesus and then from him will flow the living waters. What are the living waters that Jesus makes reference to? 

Jesus refers to living water twice in his ministry, once here in John 7:38 and once in John chapter 4 where Jesus talked to a Samaritan woman at Jacobs well. 

So it is important that we go and take a look at this passage. 

John 4:  10Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The important information here is that Jesus states if she knew who he was, she would have asked to drink and he would have given her living water. Jesus does not say that HE is the living water but that he would have GIVEN her the living water. 

After the woman has asked him where he was going to get the living water Jesus answers her and again tells her of the living water that he will give. 

John 4: 13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

In verse 14 he refers to the water that he shall give will be in him (the one that receives the water) a well of water which springs up into everlasting life. The living water brings everlasting life from inside the person. 

This is what is meant by Jesus’ statement in John 7:38 where he refers to “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” The living water that springs up to everlasting life. 

In verse 39 John explains exactly what the “living water “ is:


John 7:39  39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The living water is the spirit that when they believe in him they shall receive. The spirit, that would be within that would flow from a person. 

It is vital, to correctly understand what Jesus means, to notice that Jesus does not say as it is written, rather he says as the scripture has said. As it is written usually denotes a more literal “quote” of scripture. 

Jesus is not quoting scripture directly, as in verbatim.

Jesus is actually not quoting scripture at all, he is, in fact, referring to a number of scriptures that all reference exactly what the meaning behind his statement is. 

In Ezekiel we see that the new spirit will be put within. 

Ezekiel 36:  25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

When we go just a bit further we will see what this water of the spirit that flows will do. It flows out and gives life, turning what was desolate back to life again.


Ezekiel 36: 33Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. 36Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.

The giving of the spirit through belief in Jesus. The spirit that was to be poured out on all flesh. 

Joel 2: 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Jesus is saying that it is he that will GIVE this living water, the spirit,  to anyone that comes to him and believes in him. Jesus will give those that believe in him the spirit, all flesh can receive the spirit through Jesus. It is through Jesus that these passages are fulfilled.  

When Jesus referred to the living water he was actually meaning the spirit that he would give.  The spirit is received when a person believes in him 

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

The living water that would flow from the belly unto everlasting life is in reality the spirit that indwells a person once they believe . 

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Jesus later would speak of the comforter (the spirit) that would be given after he was raised from the dead and ascended to the father. The spirit which would live inside of believers. 

John 14: 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peter later refers to the same passage in Joel after the Holy spirit was received at Pentecost

Acts 2: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Jesus had earlier explained that it is the spirit that gives life

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

After Jesus had risen he met two disciples on the road to Ephesus and explained the scriptures concerning himself. 

Luke 24: 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

There is no mistake in the words of Jesus nor in the recording of those words by John. 

The literal words of Jesus are not found in scripture, this is because Jesus, through his statement is declaring what scripture actually meant, that it pointed to him and it is through him that the scriptures are fulfilled in relation to the outpouring of the spirit.

Jesus is the Messiah that was to come as foretold.

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