John 8:48-59

Before Abraham Was, I Am

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and ¹have a demon? ”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but ²I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

50 Yet ³I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.

51 Truly, truly, ⁴I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never ⁵see death. ”

52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! ⁶Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet ⁷you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never ⁸taste death. ’

53 ⁹Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be? ”

54 Jesus answered, ¹⁰“If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. ¹¹It is my Father who glorifies me, ¹²of whom you say, ‘He is our God. ’ ^[a]

55 But ¹³you have not known him. ¹⁴I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be ¹⁵a liar ¹⁶like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.

56 ¹⁷Your father Abraham ¹⁸rejoiced ¹⁹that he would see my day. ²⁰He saw it and was glad. ”

57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? ” ^[b]

58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, ²¹I am. ”

59 So ²²they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Cross References

• 1. 8:48 See ch. 7:20
• 2. 8:49 ch. 5:23; [ch. 7:18]
• 3. 8:50 ver. 54; ch. 5:41
• 4. 8:51 ch. 5:24; 11:26
• 5. 8:51 See Luke 2:26
• 6. 8:52 [Zech. 1:5]
• 7. 8:52 ver. 51
• 8. 8:52 Matt. 16:28; Heb. 2:9
• 9. 8:53 [ch. 4:12]
• 10. 8:54 ver. 50
• 11. 8:54 ch. 13:32; 17:1; Acts 3:13; Heb. 5:5; 2 Pet. 1:17
• 12. 8:54 ver. 41
• 13. 8:55 ver. 19; ch. 7:28
• 14. 8:55 ch. 7:29; See Matt. 11:27
• 15. 8:55 1 John 1:6
• 16. 8:55 ver. 44
• 17. 8:56 ver. 39
• 18. 8:56 See Matt. 13:17
• 19. 8:56 Luke 17:22
• 20. 8:56 [Heb. 11:13]
• 21. 8:58 See Ex. 3:14
• 22. 8:59 ch. 10:31

Footnotes

• [a] 8:54 Some manuscripts 'your God'
• [b] 8:57 Some manuscripts 'has Abraham seen you?'