John 8:21-59
New King James Version
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and (A)you will seek Me, and (B)will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, (C)“You are from beneath; I am from above. (D)You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 (E)Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; (F)for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I (G)have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but (H)He who sent Me is true; and (I)I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you (J)lift[a] up the Son of Man, (K)then you will know that I am He, and (L)that I do nothing of Myself; but (M)as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And (N)He who sent Me is with Me. (O)The Father has not left Me alone, (P)for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, (Q)many believed in Him.
The Truth Shall Make You Free
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you (R)abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the (S)truth, and (T)the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, (U)“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (V)whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And (W)a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 (X)Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but (Y)you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 (Z)I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have [b]seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, (AA)“Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, (AB)“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 (AC)But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth (AD)which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; (AE)we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, (AF)“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for (AG)I proceeded forth and came from God; (AH)nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 (AI)Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 (AJ)You are of your father the devil, and the (AK)desires of your father you want to (AL)do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and (AM)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 (AN)He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and (AO)have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and (AP)you dishonor Me. 50 And (AQ)I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, (AR)if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (AS)have a demon! (AT)Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. (AU)Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, (AV)“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. (AW)It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is [c]your God. 55 Yet (AX)you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and (AY)keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham (AZ)rejoiced to see My day, (BA)and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (BB)before Abraham was, (BC)I AM.”
59 Then (BD)they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, (BE)going[d] through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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