John 8:31-47

New International Reader's Version

Challenge to the Claim to Be Children of Abraham

³¹ Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed him. “If you obey my teaching,” he said, “you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free.”

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s children. We have never been slaves of anyone. So how can you say that we will be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Everyone who sins is a slave of sin. ³⁵ A slave has no lasting place in the family. But a son belongs to the family forever. ³⁶ So if the Son of Man sets you free, you will really be free. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s children. But you are looking for a way to kill me. You have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. You are doing what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

Jesus said, “Are you really Abraham’s children? If you are, you will do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ But you are looking for a way to kill me. I am a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do the things you want to do. ⁴¹ You are doing what your own father does.”

“We have the right to claim to be God’s children,” they objected. “The only Father we have is God himself.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. I have come here from God. I have not come on my own. God sent me. ⁴³ Why aren’t my words clear to you? Because you can’t really hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies. ⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove I am guilty of sinning? Am I not telling the truth? Then why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God.”