John 8:51

51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death {forever}."

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 Jesus replied, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me!

50 But I do not seek my [own] glory. There is one who seeks and judges!

51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death {forever}."

52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham and the prophets died, and you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death {forever}.'

53 You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, [are you]? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself [to be]?"

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "for the age"