John 8:51

51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If anyone keeps my word, he shall not see 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 answered, I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

50 And I seek not my own glory; there is one that seeks it and judges.

51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If anyone keeps my word, he shall not see death forever.

52 Then the Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keeps my word, he shall not taste death forever?

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham who died? and the prophets died; whom makest thou thyself?