John 18 8

John 18:8 kjv

Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

John 18:8 nkjv

Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,"

John 18:8 niv

Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go."

John 18:8 esv

Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go."

John 18:8 nlt

"I told you that I AM he," Jesus said. "And since I am the one you want, let these others go."

John 18 verses

John 18 8 Meaning

Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, asserts His divine identity with the declaration "I am he," causing His arresting party to confirm their focus is solely on Him. He then commands them to release His disciples, thereby orchestrating His own surrender while simultaneously ensuring the safety and freedom of His followers. This act reveals His profound control over the situation, His willing self-sacrifice, and His unwavering commitment as the Good Shepherd who protects His flock even unto His capture and ultimate suffering.

John 18 8 Context

John chapter 18 details the pivotal event of Jesus' arrest in the garden across the Kidron Valley, commonly understood as Gethsemane. After His farewell discourse and High Priestly Prayer in chapters 13-17, Jesus deliberately goes to a known location (Jn 18:1-2) where Judas Iscariot can lead His captors to Him. This contingent comprised a Roman cohort, numbering several hundred soldiers, and Jewish temple guards (Jn 18:3). Jesus actively steps forward and identifies Himself as the one they seek (Jn 18:4-5), causing the entire heavily armed force to fall backward at His simple, yet divinely resonant, "I am he" (Jn 18:6). The arresting party then reaffirms their intent to seize Jesus of Nazareth (Jn 18:7), at which point Jesus, still in control, repeats His identification and issues the command in verse 8. The historical setting is the eve of Passover, a period of heightened Roman sensitivity to potential unrest in Jerusalem. Jesus' authority, evident even amid overwhelming military presence, frames the scene not as a helpless capture, but as a sovereign, self-determined act of surrender for a divine purpose, meticulously safeguarding His disciples from the impending conflict and judicial process.

John 18 8 Word analysis

• Word by word analysis

  • Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsoūs): The specific, identified person, emphasizing His personal agency and historical reality as the Son of God, not an impersonal force.
  • answered (ἀπεκρίθη - apekrithē): Denotes a deliberate, purposeful verbal response. Jesus is not surprised or cornered, but intentionally engaging with His captors, signifying His full awareness and control.
  • "I (ἐγώ - egō): An emphatic first-person singular pronoun. Highlights Jesus' personal will and initiative in the declaration that follows.
  • told (εἶπον - eipon): Refers back to the immediate preceding statements in John 18:5, indicating a repeated, firm affirmation rather than a new disclosure.
  • you (ὑμῖν - humin): The dative plural pronoun, directed to the entire, collective arresting party, demonstrating Jesus' address to all, not just a leader.
  • that I am he (ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι - hoti egō eimi): The crucial Greek phrase "egō eimi" without a stated predicate ("he" is supplied in English for grammatical sense). This phrase carries profound divine weight, echoing Yahweh's self-revelation ("I AM") in Exodus 3:14 and many of Jesus' self-claims throughout John's Gospel, proclaiming His essential identity with God.
  • so (οὖν - oun): A logical connector, signaling that what follows is a direct consequence or inference from His stated identity and their declared intent.
  • if (εἰ - ei): Introduces a conditional clause, stating the premise for Jesus' subsequent command, based on their explicit actions.
  • you (ὑμεῖς - humeis): Referring specifically to the members of the arresting party.
  • seek (ζητεῖτε - zēteite): To look for, inquire about, demand. This term clarifies the explicit purpose of their mission, to which Jesus responds directly.
  • me (με - me): Jesus identifies Himself as the exclusive object of their pursuit and capture.
  • let (ἄφετε - aphete): A strong imperative verb, "let go," "send away," "permit." It is an authoritative command, not a request or a plea, indicating His dominion.
  • these (τούτους - toutous): A demonstrative pronoun, directly pointing to or designating the disciples present.
  • men (ἄνδρας - andras): While generally meaning "men," in this context, it refers to His disciples accompanying Him.
  • go (ὑπάγειν - hupagein): To depart, go away. It completes the command to release and permit their unhindered departure.

• Words-group by words-group analysis

  • "Jesus answered, 'I told you'": This phrase underlines Jesus' composure and intentionality. His arrest is not a chaotic surprise but an event under His direction. His earlier statement in John 18:5 caused the armed men to fall back, proving the power of His word; here He reaffirms that declaration with full self-awareness.
  • "'that I am he;'": This core declaration is not merely an identification; it is an assertion of His divine sovereignty and intrinsic authority. By repeating the "Egō eimi," Jesus reclaims command of the situation, confirming that His "capture" is, in fact, a voluntary offering.
  • "'so if you seek me, let these men go.'": This conditional command highlights Jesus' substitutionary act. He demands His disciples' release by presenting Himself as the sole, sufficient object of their mission. This demonstrates His love and protection as the Good Shepherd, safeguarding His flock even at the cost of His own freedom, a foreshadowing of His atoning sacrifice.

John 18 8 Bonus section

The deliberate request by Jesus, "let these men go," served several critical purposes. Firstly, it reinforced the singularity of His identity as the Messiah, emphasizing that the "crimes" for which He was being apprehended were His alone, thus freeing His disciples from being implicated. Secondly, it protected His disciples from the psychological and physical trauma of immediate arrest, trial, and potential crucifixion alongside Him, allowing them to eventually regroup and continue their apostolic mission. From a prophetic perspective, this action prefigures the greater truth of salvation: Jesus alone bears the full brunt of judgment, permitting His followers to "go free" from the spiritual penalty of sin. It's a testament to His nature as the Good Shepherd, literally standing between danger and His sheep, but also spiritually and eternally taking the full consequence for them. This was a direct, active command, underscoring Jesus' full command of the situation, not as a victim, but as a willing sacrifice on His own terms.

John 18 8 Commentary

John 18:8 encapsulates Jesus' supreme authority and profound self-sacrificial love at the moment of His arrest. After stunning His captors with His divine "I AM" declaration, He now uses that same inherent authority not for escape, but for the protection of His disciples. This act transforms the scene from a hostile ambush into a controlled surrender on Jesus' terms. He asserts, "If you seek me," affirming their singular purpose, and then commands their full attention by explicitly presenting Himself as the one to be seized, ensuring that His disciples "go." This action is a powerful fulfillment of His prayer in John 17:12, where He declared that He had lost none of those the Father had given Him. The release of the disciples vividly illustrates Christ's role as the divine Substitute, taking on Himself the "debt" or fate that was potentially intended for His followers. It also ensured the survival of those who would become His witnesses and continue His mission, showing that Christ prioritizes the preservation of His spiritual family. This act is not born of weakness but of omnipotent love and sovereign purpose, making clear that He lays down His life voluntarily, not because it is taken from Him.

• Practical usage: This verse teaches us that genuine spiritual leadership sacrifices personal safety for the good of the flock. It reminds us that Christ himself stood in our place, offering Himself as the target of justice so that we might be set free.