John 8:26–42

²⁶I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him.”

²⁷They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the Father. ²⁸So he said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that ‘I Am Who I Am’; then you will know that I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say. ²⁹And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”

³⁰Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.

Free Men and Slaves

³¹So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; ³²you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

^33*“We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been anybody’s slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?”

³⁴Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin. ³⁵A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there for ever. ³⁶If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free. ³⁷I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not accept my teaching. ³⁸I talk about what my Father has shown me, but you do what your father has told you.”

³⁹They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”

“If you really were Abraham’s children,” Jesus replied, “you would do^v the same things that he did. ⁴⁰All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this! ⁴¹You are doing what your father did.”

“God himself is the only Father we have,” they answered, “and we are his true children.”

⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me.