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 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

35And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39They 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.

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 in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
• Acts 13:26“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.
• Romans 9:7nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
• John 8:6This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
• John 5:16For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
• John 7:1After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
• John 10:31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
• John 11:53Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
• John 8:43Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
• John 5:44How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
• John 12:39Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
• Matthew 13:15For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
• 1 Corinthians 2:14But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know 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