John 8:13 kjv
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
John 8:13 nkjv
The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."
John 8:13 niv
The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
John 8:13 esv
So the Pharisees said to him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true."
John 8:13 nlt
The Pharisees replied, "You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid."
John 8 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 1:4 | In him was life, and the life was the light of men. | Old Testament imagery of light, Wisdom as light |
| John 1:9 | The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. | Fulfillment of prophecy |
| John 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because what they did were evil. | Contrast with darkness |
| John 8:12 | Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. | Personal application of Jesus' light |
| John 9:5 | As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. | Statement of present authority |
| Isaiah 9:2 | The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of shadow, light has shone upon them. | Old Testament prophecy |
| Isaiah 49:6 | I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. | Prophecy of global impact |
| Isaiah 60:1-3 | Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. | Prophecy of spiritual illumination |
| Psalm 27:1 | The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? | God as light and deliverer |
| Psalm 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | God's word as a guiding light |
| Matthew 5:14 | You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. | Disciples sharing in Jesus' light |
| Acts 26:18 | to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. | Salvation through turning to Jesus' light |
| 2 Corinthians 4:6 | For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. | God shining His light into believers |
| 1 Peter 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | Believers as recipients and proclaimers of His light |
| Ephesians 5:8 | Formerly you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. | Transformation by His light |
| Colossians 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. | Deliverance from darkness by Christ |
| Revelation 21:23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it its light, and its Lamb is the light of it. | Christ as eternal light |
| Luke 2:32 | a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. | Jesus as fulfillment of prophetic light |
| Genesis 1:3 | And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. | God's creative power bringing light |
| Job 12:22 | He uncovers the deep things out of darkness and brings the gloom to light. | God's sovereignty over light and darkness |
| Jeremiah 2:31 | "O generation, see the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, 'We have wandered; we will come no more to you'? | Contrast with God's presence |
| Malachi 4:2 | But to you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go forth and leap like calves from the stall. | Messiah as the "sun of righteousness" |
John 8 verses
John 8 13 Meaning
Jesus states that He is the light of the world. This declaration asserts His divine nature and His essential role in illuminating the truth and guiding humanity. He is the source of spiritual understanding, contrasting with the spiritual darkness and ignorance that pervades the world without Him.
John 8 13 Context
This declaration by Jesus in John chapter 8 occurs during the Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Jerusalem. Jesus has already claimed to be the light of the world, drawing on the festival's tradition of lighting large menorahs in the temple courts. His statement in verse 12, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life," sets the stage for verse 13. The Pharisees are questioning Him, challenging the validity of His self-testimony because He mentions His own witness. This context is crucial for understanding Jesus' response regarding the nature of true testimony and His divine authority.
John 8 13 Word analysis
- ego (I) - A simple pronoun emphasizing self. Here it is crucial as Jesus is presenting His personal claim of authority and nature.
- eimi (am) - Present tense of "to be." It signifies an ongoing, inherent reality. It’s not a past claim but His current essence.
- to (the) - Definite article, specific and singular. Points to a unique, unsurpassable source.
- phos (light) - Primarily means physical light, but in the New Testament, it frequently signifies spiritual enlightenment, truth, purity, and divine presence. It’s symbolic of divine revelation and guidance. Jesus as the light exposes darkness (sin, ignorance) and guides to life.
- tou (of) - Preposition, indicating possession or origin. The light belongs to Jesus or originates from Him.
- kosmou (world) - Refers to the entire human race and the earthly realm in its fallen state, often characterized by opposition to God. Jesus’ light is for all humanity, not just a select group.
words-group by words-group analysis
- ego eimi (I am) - This phrase, particularly when followed by a predicate like "the light of the world," echoes the divine name "Yahweh" ("I AM") revealed in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14). It establishes Jesus’ divine identity and claims a unique status comparable to God Himself.
- to phos tou kosmou (the light of the world) - This is a bold and comprehensive assertion. "Light" implies truth, life, guidance, and revelation. "Of the world" signifies the universal scope of this salvific light. Jesus presents Himself as the singular, authoritative source of spiritual illumination and life for all humanity. It's a polemic against spiritual leaders who claimed to guide but failed, and against philosophies or religions that offered incomplete or false light.
John 8 13 Bonus section
The immediate context of Jesus claiming to be the light, coupled with the accusation from the Pharisees about His testimony (8:13: "You bear witness about yourself; your testimony is not true"), highlights a critical misunderstanding of divine self-revelation. Jesus, in the verses that follow, explains that His witness is not merely personal but intrinsically linked to the Father who sent Him and the Spirit that testifies. This foreshadows His later teaching in John 5:31-47 where He addresses the inadequacy of human testimony alone when the ultimate divine witness is present in Him. The light of the world inherently carries its own authentication through its illuminating power, a power the Pharisees refused to acknowledge.
John 8 13 Commentary
Jesus’ declaration “I am the light of the world” is foundational to His self-understanding and mission. He is not merely illuminating existing truths; He is the truth and the source of spiritual life. This light overcomes the darkness of sin, ignorance, and separation from God. To follow Him means to walk in divine revelation and experience the "light of life," a life characterized by spiritual understanding and enduring existence. The contrast with walking in darkness highlights the consequences of rejecting Him. The ensuing dialogue with the Pharisees reveals their spiritual blindness; they are focused on human testimony and tradition rather than the divine truth Jesus embodies and offers. They sought proof through external validation, unable to perceive the intrinsic authority and self-evident nature of the Messiah.
- Practical application: Recognizing Jesus as the light means turning to Him for guidance in all life’s decisions and for understanding spiritual truths. It also means a commitment to follow His teachings, leaving behind the practices associated with spiritual darkness.