Focused Passage

John 8:12-20

The Light of the World, True Freedom, and the I AM Before Abraham

Jesus exposes hypocritical judgment, declares himself the Light of the world, warns unbelievers that they will die in sin, calls true disciples to abide in his word and be free, exposes false Abrahamic confidence, and reveals himself as the eternal I AM before Abraham.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me.

17 Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

18 I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”

19 “Where is Your Father?” they asked Him. “You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”

20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Original words

Once again Πάλιν G3825 Adverb . . . οὖν G3767 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular spoke ἐλάλησεν G2980 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to [the people] αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [and] said λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular I Ἐγώ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular am εἰμι G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular light φῶς G5457 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular world κόσμου G2889 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Whoever G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular follows ἀκολουθῶν G190 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Me ἐμοὶ* G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb will never walk περιπατήσῃ G4043 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular darkness σκοτίᾳ G4653 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular but ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction will have ἕξει G2192 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular light φῶς G5457 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of life ζωῆς G2222 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

So οὖν G3767 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural Pharisees Φαρισαῖοι G5330 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural said Εἶπον G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular You Σὺ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular are testifying μαρτυρεῖς G3140 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition Yourself σεαυτοῦ G4572 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 2nd Person Singular Your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular testimony μαρτυρία G3141 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb valid ἀληθής G227 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular replied Ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Even if Κἂν G2579 Adverb I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular testify μαρτυρῶ G3140 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition Myself ἐμαυτοῦ G1683 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 1st Person Singular My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular testimony μαρτυρία G3141 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular valid ἀληθής G227 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction I know οἶδα G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular where πόθεν G4159 Adverb I came {from} ἦλθον G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction where ποῦ G4226 Adverb I am going ὑπάγω G5217 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular But δὲ G1161 Conjunction you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural {do} not οὐκ G3756 Adverb know οἴδατε G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural where πόθεν G4159 Adverb I came {from} ἔρχομαι G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular or G2228 Conjunction where ποῦ G4226 Adverb I am going ὑπάγω G5217 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Verse 15

Original words

You Ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural judge κρίνετε G2919 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural according to κατὰ G2596 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular flesh σάρκα G4561 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular judge κρίνω G2919 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb no one οὐδένα G3762 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction even καὶ G2532 Conjunction if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction I ἐγώ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular do judge κρίνω G2919 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular My ἐμὴ G1699 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Feminine 1st Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular judgment κρίσις G2920 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular true ἀληθινή G228 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction I am εἰμί G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb alone μόνος G3441 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular [am with] καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Father πατήρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [who] sent πέμψας G3992 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally but (it is) I and the Father who sent Me; NE but (it is) I and the One who sent Me
Verse 17

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction Even Καὶ G2532 Conjunction in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular your ὑμετέρῳ G5212 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 2nd Person Plural [own] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Law νόμῳ G3551 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular testimony μαρτυρία G3141 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of two δύο G1417 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular valid ἀληθής G227 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • See Deuteronomy 19:15.
Verse 18

Original words

I ἐγώ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular am εἰμι G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular [One] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular who testifies μαρτυρῶν G3140 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition Myself ἐμαυτοῦ G1683 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 1st Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Father Πατήρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [who] sent πέμψας G3992 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular [also] testifies μαρτυρεῖ G3140 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition Me ἐμοῦ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Verse 19

Original words

Where Ποῦ G4226 Adverb is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Father Πατήρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - οὖν G3767 Conjunction they asked Ἔλεγον G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular You do not know οἴδατε G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural . . . Οὔτε G3777 Conjunction Me ἐμὲ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular [or] οὔτε G3777 Conjunction My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Father Πατέρα G3962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular answered Ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular If εἰ G1487 Conjunction you knew ᾔδειτε G1492 Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Me ἐμὲ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular vvv ἂν G302 Particle you would know ᾔδειτε G1492 Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Father Πατέρα G3962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular as well καὶ G2532 Conjunction
Verse 20

Original words

He spoke ἐλάλησεν G2980 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular these Ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural words ῥήματα G4487 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural while teaching διδάσκων G1321 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular temple [courts] ἱερῷ G2411 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular near ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular treasury γαζοφυλακίῳ G1049 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Yet καὶ G2532 Conjunction no one οὐδεὶς G3762 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular seized ἐπίασεν G4084 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Him αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular hour ὥρα G5610 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular {had} not yet οὔπω G3768 Adverb come ἐληλύθει G2064 Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.