³¹ Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,^[a](A) you really are my disciples. ³² You will know the truth,^(B) and the truth will set you free.”

³³ “We are descendants^[b] of Abraham,”^(C) they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.^{(D) 35} A slave does not remain in the household forever,^(E) but a son does remain forever.^{(F) 36} So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know you are descendants of Abraham,^(G) but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. ³⁸ I speak what I have seen^(H) in the presence of the Father; ^[c](I) so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹ “Our father is Abraham,” they replied.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.^{(J) 40} But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth^(K) that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹ You’re doing what your father does.”^(L)

“We weren’t born^(M) of sexual immorality,”^(N) they said. “We have one Father—God.”^(O)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(P) because I came from God^(Q) and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to^[d] my word.^{(R) 44} You are of your father the devil,^(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer^(T) from the beginning^(U) and does not stand in the truth,^(V) because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,^[e] because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Who among you can convict me of sin?^(W) If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

Jesus and Abraham

⁴⁸ The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan^(X) and have a demon?” ^(Y)

⁴⁹ “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I do not seek my own glory; ^(Z) there is one who seeks it and judges. ⁵¹ Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word,^(AA) he will never see death.”

⁵² Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”

⁵⁴ “If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. ⁵⁵ You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him,^(AB) I would be a liar like you. But I do know him,^(AC) and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it^(AD) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” ^[f]

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”^(AE)

⁵⁹ So they picked up stones^(AF) to throw at him.^(AG) But Jesus was hidden^[g](AH) and went out of the temple.^[h](AI)

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

¹⁵ What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?^(A) Absolutely not!^{(B) 16} Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone^[a] as obedient slaves,^(C) you are slaves of that one you obey^(D)—either of sin leading to death^(E) or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin,^(F) you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed^[b] over,^{(G) 18} and having been set free from sin,^(H) you became enslaved to righteousness.

Freedom of the Christian

5 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm,^(A) then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.^(B)