John 8:52

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}.'

John 8:52 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:52

Then said the Jews unto him
Upon these last words that he spake, giving assurance, that whoever kept his saying, should not die:

now we know that thou hast a devil;
they thought and said so before, but now they were assured, that he must be under diabolical influence, must be possessed with the devil, and mad, and out of his senses; for they thought no man in his senses would ever talk at this rate:

Abraham is dead, and the prophets;
that is, they are dead also, as the Ethiopic version adds; see ( Zechariah 1:5 ) ;

and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of
death:
Abraham and the prophets were so far from pretending by their doctrine to communicate life and secure men from death, that they could not keep themselves from dying; and therefore it must be diabolical madness and frenzy to assert anything of this kind.

John 8:52 In-Context

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]?"
54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. The one who glorifies me is my Father, [about] whom you say, 'He is our God.'

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Some manuscripts have "Then the Jews"
  • [b]. Literally "for the age"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.