John 8:31-44

Christian Standard Bible

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.