John 17 8

John 17:8 kjv

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

John 17:8 nkjv

For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

John 17:8 niv

For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

John 17:8 esv

For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 17:8 nlt

for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

John 17 verses

John 17 8 Meaning

John 17:8 encapsulates Jesus' affirmation that His disciples have faithfully received the divine revelations He conveyed, which originated from the Father. They have not only taken these words into themselves but have experientially and certainly understood that Jesus' very being and mission derive directly from God, solidifying their belief in His divine appointment. This verse highlights the successful transmission and reception of truth between the Father, the Son, and His followers.

John 17 8 Context

John 17:8 is part of Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" delivered to His Father in the upper room, just before His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. This entire chapter is a poignant and intimate prayer where Jesus expresses His concerns and desires for Himself, His immediate disciples, and all future believers. In this particular section (verses 6-19), Jesus intercedes for His disciples, highlighting their fidelity and His fulfillment of His mission. Verse 8 immediately follows verse 7, where Jesus states, "Now they have known that all things whatever You have given Me are from You." Verse 8 then elaborates how they came to know this: through Jesus giving them the Father's words and their subsequent reception and belief. The historical context is Jesus' final, pre-passion testament, emphasizing the transmission of divine truth and the foundation of the disciples' faith before He departs to the Father. It solidifies the authority and divine origin of His teachings.

John 17 8 Word analysis

• For (γάρ, gar): A conjunction establishing a causal link. It explains why the disciples know that everything Jesus possesses/teaches is from the Father (as stated in v.7). It's because of the specific actions described in v.8.
• I have given them (ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, egō dedōka autois):
  • I (egō): Emphatic, highlighting Jesus' personal action and role as the faithful revealer.
  • have given (dedōka): Perfect active indicative. Signifies a completed action with ongoing results. Jesus' act of imparting the words is done, and their effects persist. It underscores the permanence of the divine revelation.
  • them (autois): Refers to the immediate disciples present.
• the words (τὰ ῥήματα, ta rhēmata): Specific, uttered divine pronouncements and messages, as opposed to the broader concept of "Logos" (John 1:1) which represents Christ Himself. These are the teachings and declarations of truth, bearing the Father's authority.
• which You gave Me (ἃ ἔδωκάς μοι, ha edōkas moi): Highlights Jesus' complete submission to the Father and His role as the perfect revealer. His message is not His own invention but a faithful transmission of the Father's revelation.
• and they have received them (καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον, kai autois elabon):
  • they (autoi): Again, refers to the disciples.
  • have received (elabon): Aorist active indicative. Indicates a definite past action of acceptance, taking possession, or grasping these words, often used in a way that suggests profound reception, not mere hearing.
• and have known surely (καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς, kai egnōsan alēthōs):
  • have known (egnōsan): Aorist active indicative. Denotes an experiential, personal, and true knowledge, rather than mere intellectual recognition. This is deep spiritual understanding.
  • surely (alēthōs): "Truly," "verily," "in reality." It emphasizes the absolute certainty and authenticity of their knowledge. Their understanding is not superficial but firmly grounded in truth.
• that I came forth from You (ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, hoti para sou exēlthon): The primary content of their profound knowledge.
  • came forth (exēlthon): Aorist active indicative. Indicates Jesus' divine origin, His pre-existence with the Father, and His specific mission as coming from the Father's presence.
  • from You (para sou): "From beside You," emphasizing an intimate origin from the Father.
• and they have believed (καὶ ἐπίστευσαν, kai episteusan): Aorist active indicative. Denotes a settled conviction, a definitive act of trusting in Jesus based on the received words and resulting knowledge. It’s an ongoing state of faith.
• that You sent Me (ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας, hoti sy me apesteilas): The specific focus of their belief.
  • sent (apesteilas): Aorist active indicative. "Sent" implies divine commission, purpose, and authority. The Father authorized Jesus' entire ministry and message.
  • You (sy): Emphatic, stressing the Father's singular role in commissioning the Son.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "I have given them the words which You gave Me": This phrase highlights Jesus' role as the perfect mediator of divine revelation. He is not speaking His own message but faithfully delivering the Father's truth, demonstrating His obedience and unity with the Father. The perfect tense "have given" signifies the completed nature of His revelation with enduring effect.
• "and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You": This sequence emphasizes the disciples' genuine spiritual engagement. They didn't just hear the words; they "received" them (accepted and assimilated), which led to a profound, certain, experiential "knowledge" of Jesus' divine origin and intimate relationship with the Father. This "knowing" goes beyond mere intellectual assent.
• "and they have believed that You sent Me": Their sure knowledge then translates into a settled "belief" in Jesus' divine commission. This belief in His mission and authority (that the Father "sent" Him) is the culmination of their spiritual journey as disciples up to this point, laying the groundwork for their future apostolic mission. The aorist tenses for received, known, and believed indicate definitive, real-world events in the disciples' spiritual experience.

John 17 8 Bonus section

The consistent use of the perfect tense ("have given") for Jesus' actions and aorist tense ("have received," "have known," "have believed") for the disciples' actions highlights distinct but interconnected spiritual realities. The perfect tense signifies Jesus' completed act with lasting effects, establishing the truth once and for all. The aorist tenses mark specific, definite spiritual milestones in the disciples' journey: they really did receive, they really did come to know, and they really did believe. This is a robust affirmation of their genuine faith at a critical juncture. Furthermore, the emphasis on rhēmata (specific utterances) alongside the underlying logos (Jesus as the Word) signifies that while Jesus embodies all truth, He also conveyed tangible, understandable teachings necessary for salvation and discipleship. The polemical undertone, though indirect, affirms the disciples' authentic spiritual experience against any who might deny it, and establishes Jesus' authority against false teachings of the age.

John 17 8 Commentary

John 17:8 is a profound affirmation of successful divine communication and reception. It validates Jesus' ministry and His disciples' faith just before His departure. Jesus asserts that He diligently transmitted the Father's "words" (rhēmata) – His specific, life-giving messages – without alteration or omission. Crucially, the disciples' response wasn't superficial. They actively "received" these words, which led to an "experiential and certain knowledge" that Jesus originated directly from the Father's presence (came forth). This deep knowing, in turn, produced a settled "belief" that Jesus was not a self-proclaimed prophet but the divinely commissioned Messiah sent by God Himself. This verse underscores the divine chain of truth: Father to Son, Son to disciples, forming the basis of their mission and our faith. It marks a foundational level of spiritual maturity for the apostles, ensuring they had grasped the core truths necessary for the foundation of the church. This also implies that their future testimony will be reliable because it rests upon their secure understanding of Jesus' origin and mission.

• Example for practical usage: A Christian sharing their faith often begins by conveying biblical truths (the "words") about Jesus. If the listener truly receives these words and comes to experientially know Jesus' divinity, it leads to a personal belief that Jesus is God's appointed Savior. This verse thus outlines a pattern of evangelism and spiritual growth.