^8:43Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept¹⁰³ my teaching.¹⁰⁴^8:44You people¹⁰⁵ are from¹⁰⁶ your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.¹⁰⁷ He¹⁰⁸ was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth,¹⁰⁹ because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies,¹¹⁰ he speaks according to his own nature,¹¹¹ because he is a liar and the father of lies.¹¹²^8:45But because I am telling you¹¹³ the truth, you do not believe me. ^8:46Who among you can prove me guilty¹¹⁴ of any sin?¹¹⁵ If I am telling you¹¹⁶ the truth, why don’t you believe me? ^8:47The one who belongs to¹¹⁷ God listens and responds¹¹⁸ to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond,¹¹⁹ because you don’t belong to God.”¹²⁰

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Footnotes

103 Grk “you cannot hear,” but this is not a reference to deafness, but rather hearing in the sense of listening to something and responding to it.
104 Grk “my word.”
105 The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify that the Greek pronoun and verb are plural.
106 Many translations read “You are of your father the devil” (, , , ) or “You belong to your father, the devil” (), but the Greek preposition ἐκ (ek) emphasizes the idea of source or origin. Jesus said his opponents were the devil’s very offspring (a statement which would certainly infuriate them).
107 Grk “the desires of your father you want to do.”
108 Grk “That one” (referring to the devil).
109 Grk “he does not stand in the truth” (in the sense of maintaining, upholding, or accepting the validity of it).
110 Grk “Whenever he speaks the lie.”
111 Grk “he speaks from his own.”
112 Grk “because he is a liar and the father of it.”
113 Or “because I tell you.”
114 Or “can convict me.”
115 Or “of having sinned”; Grk “of sin.”
116 Or “if I tell you.”
117 Grk “who is of.”
118 Grk “to God hears” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
119 Grk “you do not hear” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
120 Grk “you are not of God.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Why do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I am telling the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you convicts me concerning sin? If I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me? The one who is from God listens to the words of God. Because of this you do not listen—because you are not of God.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

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