John 8:51

John 8:51 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
• New International Version (NIV)Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

Context of John 8:51

49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50However, I am not seeking glory for Myself. There is One who seeks [glory for Me] and judges [those who dishonor Me]. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if anyone keeps My word [by living in accordance with My message] he will indeed never, ever see and experience death.” 52The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon [and are under its power]. Abraham died, and also the prophets; yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never, ever taste of death.’ 53Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too! Whom do You make Yourself out to be?”

John 8:51 word by word

Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐάν τις τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον τηρήσῃ, θάνατον οὐ μὴ θεωρήσῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• myὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• sayingλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• he shallθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
• neverοὐou · noG3756
• neverμήmē · notG3361
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• ·αἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165

Cross-references for John 8:51

• John 3:15so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever].
• John 5:24“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.
• John 6:50This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies;
• John 8:55Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him fully. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him and keep His word.
• John 15:20Remember [and continue to remember] that I told you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
• John 8:12Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
• Psalms 89:48What man can live and not see death? Can he rescue his soul from the [powerful] hand of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead)? Selah.
• Luke 2:26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

Commentaries on John 8:51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 51Shall never see death - As Moses promised a long life, with abundance of temporal blessings, to those who should keep his statutes and ordinances, so he who keeps my doctrine shall not only have a long life, but shall never see death - he shall never come under the power of the death of the soul, but shall live eternally with me in glory.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 51If a man keep my saying - If he believes on me and obeys my commandments. He shall never see death - To see death, or to taste of death, is the same as to die, Luke 2:26; Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1. The sense of this passage is, “He shall obtain eternal life, or he shall be raised up to that life where there shall be no death.” See John 6:49-50; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 11:25-26.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 48-53Verses 48-53 Observe Christ's disregard of the applause of men. those who are dead to the praises of men can bear their contempt. God will seek the honour of all who do not seek their own. In these verses we have the doctrine of the everlasting happiness of believers. We have the character of a believer; he is one that keeps the sayings of the Lord Jesus. And the privilege of a believer; he shall by no means see death for ever. Though now they cannot…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-59The debate about whether Jesus is the Messiah continues from 7:52. Jesus remained at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. During the feast, the conflicts Jesus encountered in chapter 7 continued and intensified.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 48-5148-51. Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?--What intense and virulent scorn! (See He 12:3). The "say we not well" refers to Joh 7:20. "A Samaritan" means more than "no Israelite at all"; it means one who pretended, but had no manner of claim to the title--retorting perhaps, this denial of their true descent from Abraham.Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:51

• Obedience
• Righteous
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology
• Literature, Sub-Apostolic

Commentaries on John 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings