John 8:12-41

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.

26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.

28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up ^[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants 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.

35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[b] ”

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would ^[c] do what Abraham did.

40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.

41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”

Cross References

• 1. S John 6:35
• 2. S John 1:4; John 12:35
• 3. Proverbs 4:18; Matthew 5:14
• 4. John 5:31
• 5. John 13:3; John 16:28
• 6. John 7:28; John 9:29
• 7. S John 7:24
• 8. John 3:17
• 9. John 5:30
• 10. Deuteronomy 17:6; S Matthew 18:16
• 11. John 5:37
• 12. John 16:3
• 13. John 14:7; S 1 John 2:23
• 14. S Matthew 26:55
• 15. Mark 12:41
• 16. S Matthew 26:18; John 7:30
• 17. Ezekiel 3:18
• 18. John 7:34; John 13:33
• 19. John 3:31; John 17:14
• 20. John 4:26; John 13:19
• 21. John 7:28
• 22. John 3:32; John 15:15
• 23. S John 3:14; John 5:19; John 12:32
• 24. S John 14:24
• 25. ver 16; John 16:32
• 26. Isaiah 50:5; John 4:34; John 5:30; John 6:38
• 27. S John 7:31
• 28. John 15:7; 2 John 9
• 29. ver 36; Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1,13; James 2:12
• 30. ver 37,39; Matthew 3:9; S Luke 3:8
• 31. S Romans 6:16; 2 Peter 2:19
• 32. Galatians 4:30
• 33. ver 32
• 34. ver 39,40
• 35. John 5:19,30; John 14:10,24
• 36. ver 41,44
• 37. ver 37; S Luke 3:8; Romans 9:7; Galatians 3:7
• 38. S Matthew 12:14
• 39. ver 26
• 40. ver 38,44
• 41. Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8

Footnotes

• [a]. The Greek for "lifted up" also means "exalted" .
• [b]. Or "presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father."
• [c]. Some early manuscripts "“If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then"