John 8:44

John 8:44 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Context of John 8:44

42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I’m here, and I came from God. I didn’t come on my own. Instead, God sent me. 43Why don’t you understand the language I use? Is it because you can’t understand the words I use? You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies. 45So you don’t believe me because I tell the truth. 46Can any of you convict me of committing a sin? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?

John 8:44 word by word

ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν. ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐκ ἔστηκεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν αὐτῷ. ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Yeσύsu · youG4771
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• the devilὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the lustsἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• ye willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• Heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• a murdererἀνθρωποκτόνοςanthrōpoktonos · murdererG443
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• abodeἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• notοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• he speakethλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• a lieψεῦδοςpseudos · lieG5579
• his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• a liarψεύστηςpseustēs · liarG5583

Cross-references for John 8:44

• John 8:38What I’m saying is what I have seen in my Father’s presence. But you do what you’ve heard from your father.”
• John 6:70Jesus replied, “I chose all twelve of you. Yet, one of you is a devil.”
• Genesis 3:15I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
• Matthew 13:38The field is the world. The good seeds are those who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one.
• Acts 13:10and said, “You are full of dirty tricks and schemes, you son of the devil! You hate everything that has God’s approval. Quit trying to distort the truth about the way the Lord wants people to live.
• 1 John 3:8The person who lives a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has been committing sin since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does.
• Genesis 3:3except the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You must never eat it or touch it. If you do, you will die!’ ”
• 1 Kings 22:22“The Spirit answered, ‘I will go out and be a spirit that tells lies through the mouths of all of Ahab’s prophets.’ “The Lord said, ‘You will succeed in deceiving him. Go and do it.’
• 1 Chronicles 21:1Satan attempted to attack Israel by provoking David to count the Israelites.
• James 4:1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Aren’t they caused by the selfish desires that fight to control you?
• 1 Peter 5:8Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.
• Revelation 2:10Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer. The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested. Your suffering will go on for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• Revelation 9:11The king who ruled them was the angel from the bottomless pit. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
• Revelation 13:6It opened its mouth to insult God, to insult his name and his tent—those who are living in heaven.
• Revelation 20:7When 1,000 years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison.
• 2 Peter 2:4God didn’t spare angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, where he has secured them with chains of darkness and is holding them for judgment.

Commentaries on John 8:44

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 44Ye are of your father the devil - Ye are the seed of the old serpent. See on John 8:37; (note). The lusts of your father - Like father like son. What Satan desires, ye desire; because ye are filled with his nature. Awful state of unregenerate men! They have the nearest alliance to Satan; they partake of his nature and have in them the same principles and propensities which characterize the very nature and essence of the devil! Reader, canst thou rest in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 44Ye are of your father the devil - That is, you have the temper, disposition, or spirit of the devil. You are influenced by him, you imitate him, and ought therefore to be called his children. See also 1 John 3:8-10; Acts 13:10; “Thou child of the devil.” The devil - See the notes at Matthew 4:1. The lusts - The desires or the wishes. You do what pleases him. Ye will do - The word “will,” here, is not an auxiliary verb. It does not simply express futurity…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-47Verses 41-47 Satan prompts men to excesses by which they murder themselves and others, while what he puts into the mind tends to ruin men's souls. He is the great promoter of falsehood of every kind. He is a liar, all his temptations are carried on by his calling evil good, and good evil, and promising freedom in sin. He is the author of all lies; whom liars resemble and obey, with whom all liars shall have their portion for ever. The special lusts of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 44Since the unbelieving people did not love Jesus (8:42; 1 John 5:1), they were not children of the Father in heaven who sent his beloved Son (John 8:47). Their desire to kill God’s Son showed their true spiritual heritage. This was the work of the devil, who brought death to the world (see Genesis 3:1–20; Romans 5:12–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4444. Ye are of your father the devil--"This is one of the most decisive testimonies to the objective (outward) personality of the devil. It is quite impossible to suppose an accommodation to Jewish views, or a metaphorical form of speech, in so solemn an assertion as this" [Alford]. the lusts of your father--his impure, malignant, ungodly propensities, inclinations, desires. ye will do--are willing to do; not of any blind necessity of nature, but of pure…Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:44

• Falsehood
• Liars
• Lust
• Malice
• Satan
• Self-Righteousness
• Sin
• Truth
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lie
• Lift
• Murder
• Serpent
• Treasury

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