John 8:37

John 8:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
• New International Version (NIV)I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

Context of John 8:37

35A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. 38I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39“Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.

John 8:37 word by word

οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ ἐστε· ἀλλὰ ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν.Read the interlinear

• I knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• you areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• Abraham’sἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• descendantsσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• you are tryingζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• to killἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
• Meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• has no placeοὐou · noG3756
• has no placeχωρέωchōreō · to make room forG5562
• withinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for John 8:37

• John 8:33“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”
• Acts 13:26Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
• Romans 9:7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
• John 8:6They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
• John 5:16Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him.
• John 7:1After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.
• John 10:31At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
• John 11:53So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
• John 8:43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
• John 5:44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
• John 12:39For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says:
• Matthew 13:15For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
• 1 Corinthians 2:14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Commentaries on John 8:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37My word hath no place in you - Or, this doctrine of mine hath no place to you. Ye hear the truths of God, but ye do not heed them: the word of life has no influence over you; and how can it, when you seek to kill me because I proclaim this truth to you? It is a dismal omen when a person is regardless of the truth of God: it is more so to be provoked against it: but to persecute and endeavor to destroy those who preach it is the last degree of perverseness…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37I know … - I admit that you are the descendants of Abraham. Jesus did not wish to call that in question, but he endeavored to show them that they might be his descendants and still lack entirely his spirit. See the notes at Matthew 3:9. Ye seek to kill me - John 5:16; John 7:32. Because my word - My doctrine; the principles of my religion. You have not the spirit of my doctrine; you hate it, and you therefore seek to kill me. Hath no place - That is, you…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-40Verses 37-40 Our Lord opposed the proud and vain confidence of these Jews, showing that their descent from Abraham could not profit those of a contrary spirit to him. Where the word of God has no place, no good is to be expected; room is left there for all wickedness. A sick person who turns from his physician, and will take neither remedies nor food, is past hope of recovery. The truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive it. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-41The leaders' plan to kill Jesus revealed their true identity (5:18). They were part of a different spiritual family, and their spiritual father was not Jesus's Father. They were relying on the fact that their ancestral father was Abraham, but Jesus challenged their spiritual heritage. The most important part of his challenge comes in 8:44.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-4137-41. ye seek to kill me--He had said this to their face before: He now repeats it, and they do not deny it; yet are they held back, as by some marvellous spell--it was the awe which His combined dignity, courage, and benignity struck into them. because my word hath no place in you--When did ever human prophet so speak of His words? They tell us of "the word of the Lord" coming to them. But here is One who holds up "His word" as that which ought to find…Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:37

• Abraham
• Persecution
• Self-Righteousness
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury
• Heredity
• Jesus Christ
• 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