John 8:53

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?
• New International Version (NIV)Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
• 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?”

Context of John 8:53

51Amen, amen I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.” 52“Now we know You have a demon!” the Judean leaders said to Him. “Abraham and the prophets died. Yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death.’ You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are You? The prophets also died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?” 54Yeshua answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father who gives Me glory—the One of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him. If I say I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you. Yet I do know Him and keep His Word.

John 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 8:58Yeshua answered, “Amen, amen I tell you, before Abraham was, I am!”
• John 4:12You’re not greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us this well. He drank out of it himself, with his sons and his cattle.”
• John 10:29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
• John 12:34The crowd answered Him, “We’ve heard from Scripture that the Messiah remains forever. How can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
• Isaiah 9:6Of the increase of His government and shalom there will be no end— on the throne of David and over His kingdom— to establish it and uphold it through justice and righteousness from now until forevermore. The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot will accomplish this.
• Matthew 12:6But I tell you that something greater than the Temple is here.
• Romans 9:5To them belong the patriarchs—and from them, according to the flesh, the Messiah, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.
• Hebrews 3:2He was faithful to the One who appointed Him in His house—as was Moses also.
• Hebrews 7:1For this Melechizedek was king of Salem, kohen of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
• John 5:18So for this reason the Judean leaders kept trying even harder to kill Him—because He was not only breaking Shabbat, but also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
• John 10:33The Judean leaders answered, “We aren’t stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy. Though You are a man, You make Yourself God!”
• John 19:7The Judean leaders answered him, “We have a law, and according to the Torah He must die, because He claimed to be Ben-Elohim!”

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

• Jesus Continued
• Self-Righteousness
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Abraham, Abram
• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury
• Children of God

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