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31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Psalm 119:45

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”

39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41 You do the works of your father.”

They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”

42 Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. 44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”

48 Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. 51 Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God. 55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

57 The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.Exodus 3:14

59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.

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31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; 32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered unto him, We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. 36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word [a]hath not free course in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with [b]my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye [c]were Abraham’s children, [d]ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not [e]understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. [f]When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48 The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. 50 But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. 52 The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; 55 and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced [g]to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. 57 The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am. 59 They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus [h]hid himself, and went out of the temple[i].

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:37 Or, hath no place in you
  2. John 8:38 Or, the Father: do ye also therefore the things which ye heard from the Father.
  3. John 8:39 Greek are.
  4. John 8:39 Some ancient authorities read ye do the works of Abraham.
  5. John 8:43 Or, know
  6. John 8:44 Or, When one speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for his father also is a liar.
  7. John 8:56 Or, that he should see
  8. John 8:59 Or, was hidden, and went etc.
  9. John 8:59 Many ancient authorities add and going through the midst of them went his way and so passed by.

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)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(O) for I have come here from God.(P) I have not come on my own;(Q) God sent me.(R) 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil,(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(T) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(U) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(V) you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(W) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(X) and demon-possessed?”(Y)

49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself;(Z) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”(AA)

52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!(AB) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham?(AC) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(AD) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(AE) 55 Though you do not know him,(AF) I know him.(AG) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(AH) 56 Your father Abraham(AI) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(AJ) and was glad.”

57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(AK) I am!”(AL) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(AM) but Jesus hid himself,(AN) slipping away from the temple grounds.

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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