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 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.

Context of John 8:37

35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 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. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” 39“Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.

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 8:33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
• Acts 13:26“Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us!
• Romans 9:7Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
• John 8:6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.
• John 5:16So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules.
• John 7:1After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.
• John 10:31Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.
• John 11:53So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.
• John 8:43Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me!
• John 5:44No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
• John 12:39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,
• Matthew 13:15For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’
• 1 Corinthians 2:14But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

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