John 8:51

51 I assure you that whoever keeps my word will never die."

John 8:51 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:51

Verily, verily, I say unto you
This is truth, and may be depended upon, as coming from the "Amen", and faithful witness:

if a man keep my saying;
or doctrine, receives the Gospel in the love of it, obeys it from his heart, and cordially embraces and firmly believes it; and retains and holds it fast, having a spiritual and comfortable experience of the doctrines of Christ, and yielding a cheerful and ready obedience to his commands and ordinances, in faith and love:

he shall never see death;
the second death, eternal death, which is an everlasting separation of a man, body and soul, from God: this death shall have no power on such a person, he shall never be hurt by it; and though he dies a corporeal death, that shall not be a curse, a penal evil to him; nor shall he always lie under the power of it, but shall rise again, and live in soul and body, for ever with the Lord: seeing and tasting death, as in ( John 8:52 ) , are Hebraisms expressive of dying.

John 8:51 In-Context

49 "I don't have a demon," Jesus replied. "But I honor my Father and you dishonor me.

50 I'm not trying to bring glory to myself. There's one who is seeking to glorify me, and he's the judge.

51 I assure you that whoever keeps my word will never die."

52 The Jewish opposition said to Jesus, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never die.'

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the prophets died, so who do you make yourself out to be?"