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Jesus the Light of the World

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”(A) 13 Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;[a] I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid, for it is not I alone who judge but I and the Father[b] who sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.(B) 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.”(C) 19 Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(D) 20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.(E)

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”(F) 22 Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are from this world, I am not from this world.(G) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”[c](H) 25 They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all?[d] 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”(I) 27 They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he[e] and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.(J) 29 And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.”(K) 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

True Disciples

31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”(L) 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”(M)

34 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.(N) 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.(O) 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham, yet you look for an opportunity to kill me because there is no place in you for my word. 38 I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.”[f](P)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.15 Gk according to the flesh
  2. 8.16 Other ancient authorities read he
  3. 8.24 Gk I am
  4. 8.25 Or What I have told you from the beginning
  5. 8.28 Gk I am
  6. 8.38 Other ancient authorities read you do what you have heard from your father

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)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die(Q) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”(R)

22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.(S) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,(T) you will indeed die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,(U) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”(V)

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man,(W) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.(X) 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,(Y) for I always do what pleases him.”(Z) 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.(AA)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,(AB) you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(AC)

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(AD) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(AE) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(AF) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(AG) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(AH) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(AI) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[b](AJ)

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:28 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  2. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.