John 8:31–47

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^a you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^b

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^c and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^d Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^e So if the Son sets you free,^f you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^g because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^h and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”ⁱ

“Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^j said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^k a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^l Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”^m

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”ⁿ

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^o for I came from God^p and now am here. I have not come on my own;^q but he sent me.^r Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil,^s and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^t 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.^u Yet because I tell the truth,^v 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.^w The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”