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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.

Context of John 8:37

35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 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. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” 39“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• I knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ye areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• Abraham’sἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ye seekζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• to killἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• hathχωρέωchōreō · to make room forG5562
• noοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for John 8:37

• John 8:33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
• Acts 13:26“Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
• Romans 9:7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
• John 8:6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
• John 5:16So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.
• John 7:1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.
• John 10:31Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,
• John 11:53So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
• John 8:43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
• John 5:44How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
• John 12:39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
• Matthew 13:15For this people’s heart has become calloused; 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 person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

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