John 8:51

51 Truly, truly, ¹I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never ²see death. ”

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

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

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

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

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

Cross References

• 1. 8:51 ch. 5:24; 11:26
• 2. 8:51 See Luke 2:26