John 8:31-59
English Standard Version
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, (A)“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will (B)know the truth, and the truth (C)will set you free.” 33 They answered him, (D)“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (E)everyone who practices sin is a slave[a] to sin. 35 (F)The slave does not remain in the house forever; (G)the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet (H)you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 (I)I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard (J)from your father.”
You Are of Your Father the Devil
39 They answered him, (K)“Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, (L)“If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now (M)you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth (N)that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, (O)“We were not born of sexual immorality. We have (P)one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, (Q)“If God were your Father, you would love me, for (R)I came from God and (S)I am here. (T)I came not of my own accord, but (U)he sent me. 43 (V)Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot (W)bear to hear my word. 44 (X)You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. (Y)He was a murderer from the beginning, and (Z)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. (AA)When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 (AB)Whoever is of God hears the words of God. (AC)The reason why you do not hear them is that (AD)you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I Am
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and (AE)have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but (AF)I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet (AG)I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, (AH)I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never (AI)see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! (AJ)Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet (AK)you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never (AL)taste death.’ 53 (AM)Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, (AN)“If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. (AO)It is my Father who glorifies me, (AP)of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’[b] 55 But (AQ)you have not known him. (AR)I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be (AS)a liar (AT)like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 (AU)Your father Abraham (AV)rejoiced (AW)that he would see my day. (AX)He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”[c] 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, (AY)I am.” 59 So (AZ)they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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John 8:31-59
New Living Translation
Jesus and Abraham
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
39 “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.[a] 40 Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41 No, you are imitating your real father.”
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”
42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
48 The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”
49 “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50 And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. 51 I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
52 The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’[b] 55 but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?[c]”
58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am![d]” 59 At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 8:39 Some manuscripts read if you are really the children of Abraham, follow his example.
- 8:54 Some manuscripts read You say he is your God.
- 8:57 Some manuscripts read How can you say Abraham has seen you?
- 8:58 Or before Abraham was even born, I have always been alive; Greek reads before Abraham was, I am. See Exod 3:14.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
