31SoJesus was saying to thoseJews who had believed Him, "1If you continue in My word, then you are truly2disciples of Mine;
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and 3you will know the truth, and 4the truth will make you free."
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They answered Him, "5We are Abraham'sdescendants and have never*yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will becomefree '?"
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Jesusanswered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, 6everyone who commitssin is the slave of sin.
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"7The slave does not remain in the houseforever; 8the son does remainforever.
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"Soif the Son9makes you free, you will be freeindeed.
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"I know that you are 10Abraham'sdescendants; yet11you seek to kill Me, because My wordhasnoplace in you.
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"I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you alsodo the things which you heard from 12your father."
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They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is 13our father." Jesussaid to them, "14If you are Abraham'schildren, do the deeds of Abraham.
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"But as it is, 15you are seeking to kill Me, a manwho has 16told you the truth, which I heard from God; thisAbraham did not do.
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"You are doing the deeds of 17your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; 18we haveoneFather: God."
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Jesussaid to them, "IfGod were your Father, 19you would love Me, 20for I proceededforth and havecome from God, for I have 21not evencome on My owninitiative, but 22He sent Me.
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"Why* do you not understand23what I am saying? It is because you cannot*24hear My word.
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"25You are of 26your father the devil, and 27you want to do the desires of your father. 28He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truthbecause29there is notruth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he 30speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
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"But because31I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
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"Whichone of you convicts Me of sin? If32I speaktruth, why* do you not believe Me?
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"33He who is of Godhears the words of God; for thisreason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."