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John 8:31-59
New International Version
John 8:31-59
New International Version
Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,(A) you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(B)
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(D) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(E) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(F) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(G) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]”(I)
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,”(J) said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(K) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(L) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(M)
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(N)
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(O) for I have come here from God.(P) I have not come on my own;(Q) God sent me.(R) 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil,(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(T) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(U) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(V) you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(W) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Jesus’ Claims About Himself
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(X) and demon-possessed?”(Y)
49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself;(Z) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”(AA)
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!(AB) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham?(AC) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(AD) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(AE) 55 Though you do not know him,(AF) I know him.(AG) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(AH) 56 Your father Abraham(AI) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(AJ) and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(AK) I am!”(AL) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(AM) but Jesus hid himself,(AN) slipping away from the temple grounds.
John 8:31-59
International Standard Version
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 8:34 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- John 8:34 Other mss. lack of sin
- John 8:38 Other mss. read the
- John 8:39 Lit. the works of Abraham
- John 8:48 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
- John 8:51 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- John 8:52 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. The Jews
- John 8:57 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
- John 8:57 Other mss. read Abraham has seen you?
- John 8:58 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
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International Standard Version (ISV) 
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