John 8:12-32

New International Version

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

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

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

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.^(E) But you have no idea where I come from^(F) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(G) I pass judgment on no one.^{(H) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(I) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(J) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(K)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(L) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(M) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(N) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(O) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(P)

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^(Q) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”^(R)

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.^{(S) 24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,^(T) 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,^(U) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”^(V)

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,^(W) 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.^{(X) 29} The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,^(Y) for I always do what pleases him.”^{(Z) 30} Even as he spoke, many believed in him.^(AA)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(AB) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(AC)