New International Version
John 8:53
53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
John 8:53 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
Context of John 8:53
51Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” 52At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” 54Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.
Read all of John 8John 8:53 word by word
μὴ σὺ μείζων εἶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ, ὅστις ἀπέθανεν; καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἀπέθανον. τίνα σεαυτὸν ποιεῖς;¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- Artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- greater thanμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
- whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- is deadἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
- whomτίςtis · which?G5101
- makestποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- thyselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
Cross-references for John 8:53
- John 8:58“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
- John 4:12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
- John 10:29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
- John 12:34The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
- Isaiah 9:6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Matthew 12:6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
- Romans 9:5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
- Hebrews 3:2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
- Hebrews 7:1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
- John 5:18For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
- John 10:33“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
- John 19:7The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
Commentaries on John 8:53
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 53Whom makest thou thyself? - Or, who dost thou pretend to be? Although the greatest of the prophets have died, yet thou a Nazarene, a Samaritan, and a devil pretendest that thou canst keep thy followers from dying! It would have been scarcely possible to ask a question implying more contempt and scorn.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. 53Who do You claim to be?: This question was hostile and aggressive. However, if Jesus is immortal, ruling over life and death, then he is greater than Abraham, the prophets, or any of the greatest people in Israel’s history (8:58).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 52-5352-53. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil, &c.--"Thou art now self-convicted; only a demoniac could speak so; the most illustrious of our fathers are dead, and Thou promisest exemption from death to anyone who will keep Thy saying! pray, who art Thou?"Read the comment
Topics related to John 8:53
In the dictionaries
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries