John 8:39

John 8:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
• New International Version (NIV)“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,
• New King James Version (NKJV)They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

Context of John 8:39

37I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.” “Our father is Abraham,” they replied. “If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. 40But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41You’re doing what your father does.” “We weren’t born of sexual immorality,” they said. “We have one Father — God.”

John 8:39 word by word

Ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐποιεῖτεRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• ye would doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• the worksἔργονergon · workG2041

Cross-references for John 8:39

• John 8:33“We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
• John 8:37I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you.
• Matthew 3:9And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
• Matthew 5:45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
• Romans 2:28For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh.
• Romans 4:12And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.
• Romans 9:7Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.
• Galatians 3:7You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons.
• James 2:22You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete,

Commentaries on John 8:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39If ye were Abraham's children - Griesbach reads Ϛ, ye are, instead of , ye were, on the authority of BDL, Vulgate, four copies of the Itala; Origen and Augustin. Ye would do the works of Abraham - As the son has the nature of his father in him, and naturally imitates him, so, if ye were the children of Abraham, ye would imitate him in his faith, obedience, and uprightness; but this ye do not, for ye seek to kill me - ye are watching for an opportunity to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39Abraham is our father - We are descended from Abraham. Of this the Jews boasted much, as being descended from such an illustrious man. See the notes at Matthew 3:9. As Jesus did not expressly say who he meant John 8:38 when he said they did the works of their father, they obstinately persisted in pretending not to understand him, as if they had said, “We acknowledge no other father but Abraham, and to charge us with being the offspring of another is…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 8:39

• Abraham
• Righteous
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Jesus
• Abraham, Abram
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift

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