John 8:28–59

²⁸So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,^an then you will know that I am^ao he, and that I do nothing on my own.^ap But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. ²⁹The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,^aq because I always do what pleases him.”

TRUTH AND FREEDOM

³⁰As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

³¹Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,^a you really are my disciples. ³²You will know the truth,^b and the truth will set you free.”

³³“We are descendants of Abraham,”^c they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.^{d 35}A slave does not remain in the household forever,^e but a son does remain forever.^{f 36}So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. ³⁷I know you are descendants of Abraham,^g but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. ³⁸I speak what I have seen^h in the presence of the Father;^Ci so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹“Our father is Abraham,” they replied.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.^{j 40}But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth^k that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹You’re doing what your father does.”^l

“We weren’t born^m of sexual immorality,”ⁿ they said. “We have one Father—God.”^o

⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^p because I came from God^q and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to^A my word.^{r 44}You are of your father the devil,^s and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer^t from the beginning^u and does not stand in the truth,^v because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,^B because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶Who among you can convict me of sin?^w If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

JESUS AND ABRAHAM

⁴⁸The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan^x and have a demon?”^y

⁴⁹“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰I do not seek my own glory;^z there is one who seeks it and judges. ⁵¹Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word,^aa he will never see death.”

⁵²Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”

⁵⁴“If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. ⁵⁵You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him,^ab I would be a liar like you. But I do know him,^ac and I keep his word. ⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it^ad and was glad.”

⁵⁷The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?”^C

⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”^ae

⁵⁹So they picked up stones^af to throw at him.^ag But Jesus was hidden^Dah and went out of the temple.^Eai