The Truth Shall Make You Free

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you (A)abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the (B)truth, and (C)the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, (D)“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (E)whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And (F)a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 (G)Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but (H)you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 (I)I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have [a]seen with your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, (J)“Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, (K)“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 (L)But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth (M)which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; (N)we have one Father—God.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:38 NU heard from

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

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

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(C) 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.(D) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(E) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(F) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(G) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a](I)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(J) said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(K) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(L) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(M)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(N)

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  2. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then