The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, (A)If you continue in My word, then you are truly My (B)disciples; 32 and (C)you will know the truth, and (D)the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “(E)We are Abraham’s descendants 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, (F)everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now (G)the slave does not remain in the house forever; (H)the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son (I)sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know that you are (J)Abraham’s descendants; yet (K)you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [a]has no place in you. 38 I speak of the things which I have seen [b]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from (L)your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is (M)our father.” Jesus *said to them, (N)If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, (O)you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has (P)told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of (Q)your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; (R)we have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, (S)you would love Me, (T)for I came forth from God and am here; for I have (U)not even come [c]on My own, but [d](V)He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand [e](W)what I am saying? It is because you cannot (X)listen to My word. 44 (Y)You are of (Z)your father the devil, and (AA)you want to do the desires of your father. (AB)He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because (AC)there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells [f]a lie, he (AD)speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of [g]lies. 45 But because (AE)I say the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If (AF)I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 (AG)The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

48 (AH)The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a (AI)Samaritan, and You (AJ)have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not (AK)have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But (AL)I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone (AM)follows My word, he will never (AN)see death.” 52 (AO)The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (AP)have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone (AQ)follows My word, he will never (AR)taste of death.’ 53 You (AS)are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, (AT)If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; (AU)it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and (AV)you have not come to know Him, (AW)but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be (AX)a liar like you; (AY)but I do know Him, and I (AZ)follow His word. 56 (BA)Your father Abraham was (BB)overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” 57 (BC)So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham [h]was born, [i](BD)I am.” 59 Therefore they (BE)picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus (BF)hid Himself and left the temple grounds.

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:37 Or is making no headway among you
  2. John 8:38 Or in the presence of
  3. John 8:42 Or of Myself
  4. John 8:42 Lit that One
  5. John 8:43 Or My way of speaking
  6. John 8:44 Lit the lie
  7. John 8:44 Lit it
  8. John 8:58 Lit came into being
  9. John 8:58 Or I AM; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM

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.