The Light of the World

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am(A) the light(B) of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”(C)

13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

14 “Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going.(D) 15 You judge(E) by human standards.[a](F) I judge no one.(G) 16 And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.(H) 17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.(I) 18 I am the one who testifies(J) about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

19 Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?”

“You know neither me nor my Father,”(K) Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”(L) 20 He spoke these words by the treasury,(M) while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:15 Lit You judge according to the flesh

Jesus, the Light of the World

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify concerning yourself! Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify concerning myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I have come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to externals; I do not judge anyone. 16 But even if I judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 And even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.[a] 18 I am the one who testifies concerning myself, and the Father who sent me testifies concerning me.”

19 So they were saying to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus replied, “You know neither me nor my Father! If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words by the treasury while[b] teaching in the temple courts,[c] and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:17 An allusion to Deut 17:6
  2. John 8:20 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“teaching”) which is understood as temporal
  3. John 8:20 *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am(A) the light of the world.(B) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(C)

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”(D)

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.(E) But you have no idea where I come from(F) or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;(G) I pass judgment on no one.(H) 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.(I) 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.(J) 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”(K)

19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”(L) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(M) 20 He spoke these words while teaching(N) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.(O) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.(P)

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