John 8:31-59

International Standard Version

Freedom and Slavery

³¹ So Jesus told those Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples. ³² And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³ They replied to him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anybody. So how can you say, ‘You will be set free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, I tell all of you^[a] emphatically, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.^{[b] 35} The slave does not remain in the household forever, but the son does remain forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”

The Real Children of Abraham

³⁷ “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me because you’ve not received what I’ve told you. ³⁸ I declare what I’ve seen in my^[c] Father’s presence, and you’re doing what you’ve heard from your father.”

³⁹ They replied to him, “Our father is Abraham!”

Jesus told them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did.^{[d] 40} But now you’re trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham wouldn’t have done that. ⁴¹ You are doing your father’s actions.”

They told him, “We’re not illegitimate children. We have one Father, God himself.”

⁴² Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would’ve loved me, because I came from God and am here. I haven’t come on my own accord, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I’ve said? It’s because you can’t listen to my words. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father the Devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood for truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ But it is because I speak the truth that you don’t believe me. ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ The one who belongs to God listens to the words of God. The reason you don’t listen is because you don’t belong to God.”

Jesus is Superior to Abraham

⁴⁸ The Jewish leaders^[e] replied to him, “Surely we’re right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon, aren’t we?”

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon. On the contrary, I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks it, and he is the Judge. ⁵¹ Truly, I tell all of you^[f] emphatically, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

⁵² Then the Jewish leaders^[g] told him, “Now we really know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, but you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham, who died, are you? The prophets also died. Who are you making yourself out to be?”

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

⁵⁷ Then the Jewish leaders^[h] asked him, “You are not even 50 years old, yet you have seen Abraham?”^[i]

⁵⁸ Jesus told them, “Truly, I tell all of you^[j] emphatically, before there was an Abraham, I AM!” ⁵⁹ At this, they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple.