John 8:14 kjv
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
John 8:14 nkjv
Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.
John 8:14 niv
Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
John 8:14 esv
Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
John 8:14 nlt
Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me.
John 8 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 5:31-32 | "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another... " | Jesus' testimony is validated by others (Father) |
| John 5:36 | "the works that the Father has given Me... bear witness of Me." | His works attest to Him. |
| John 3:13 | "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven..." | Jesus' unique heavenly origin. |
| John 6:38 | "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will..." | Jesus' divine mission and origin. |
| John 7:29 | "I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me." | Jesus' intimate knowledge of the Father. |
| John 13:3 | "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands... came from God and was going to God." | Knowing origin and destination. |
| John 16:28 | "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." | Clear statement of divine journey. |
| John 17:5 | "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." | Jesus' pre-existence and ultimate glory. |
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'" | Jesus embodies truth; His testimony is truth. |
| John 8:23 | "He said to them, 'You are from beneath; I am from above...'" | Contrast: earthly vs. heavenly origins. |
| John 9:39 | "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." | Spiritual blindness of the self-proclaimed wise. |
| Matt 11:27 | "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father..." | Unique reciprocal knowledge of Father and Son. |
| 1 Jn 5:6 | "This is He who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." | The Spirit also bears witness to Jesus. |
| John 3:31 | "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly..." | Superiority of Jesus' divine origin. |
| John 10:15 | "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father..." | Mutual knowledge between Father and Son. |
| Phil 2:6 | "who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God..." | Jesus' divine nature and equality with God. |
| Col 1:16 | "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth..." | Jesus' role in creation affirming His origin. |
| Heb 12:2 | "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." | Focus on Jesus' completed work and destination. |
| 1 Jn 4:15 | "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." | Believing in Jesus' divine nature/origin. |
| Deut 19:15 | "One witness shall not rise against a man for any iniquity or any sin... by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established." | Jewish legal context of testimony. |
| Prov 14:12 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." | Human limited understanding. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God... nor can he know them..." | Spiritual discernment needed. |
John 8 verses
John 8 14 Meaning
John 8:14 reveals that Jesus' testimony about Himself is undeniably true because He possesses unique, divine knowledge of His eternal origin and ultimate destiny. Unlike human witnesses bound by earthly limitations, Jesus' authority and veracity stem from His direct fellowship with God the Father, knowing precisely where He came from (heaven, from the Father) and where He is going (back to the Father, to glory). In stark contrast, His accusers lack this spiritual insight and understanding due to their unbelief and earthly perspective, thus being unable to comprehend His divine claims.
John 8 14 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' discourse at the Temple, specifically near the treasury (John 8:20), following the "woman caught in adultery" narrative (John 7:53-8:11) and immediately after His declaration, "I am the Light of the World" (John 8:12). The Pharisees challenge His declaration in John 8:13, stating, "You are bearing witness about Yourself; Your testimony is not true." Their challenge is based on their interpretation of Old Testament law, particularly Deut 19:15, which requires two or three witnesses for a testimony to be valid. Jesus' response in John 8:14 directly addresses this challenge, asserting that His unique, divine nature allows His self-testimony to stand alone. The discourse unfolds during or immediately after the Feast of Booths, a festival rich in symbolism related to light and water, themes Jesus utilizes in His claims.
John 8 14 Word analysis
"Jesus answered and said unto them": This common introductory phrase indicates Jesus' direct response to the Pharisees' accusation from John 8:13, initiating a theological debate.
"Though I bear record of myself": Greek: εγώ μαρτυρῶ ἐμαυτοῦ (egō martyrō emautou) - "I testify of myself." The word μαρτυρῶ (martyrō) means "to witness, testify." This phrase acknowledges the Pharisees' charge but immediately moves to qualify its validity. Unlike human self-testimony, Jesus' witness is not fallible.
"yet my record is true": Greek: μαρτυρία μου ἀληθής ἐστιν (martyria mou alēthēs estin) - "My testimony is true." Μαρτυρία (martyria) means "testimony" or "witness." Ἀληθής (alēthēs) signifies truth, but in John's Gospel, "truth" (ἀλήθεια, alētheia) often denotes divine reality, consistency with God's nature, not just factual accuracy. Jesus is stating His self-testimony aligns with divine reality because He embodies truth itself.
"for I know whence I came, and whither I go": This is the crucial justification for His true testimony.
- "I know": Greek: οἶδα (oida) - to know by intuition, complete understanding, fixed knowledge. This isn't mere belief or deduction but absolute, inherent knowledge unique to Jesus.
- "whence I came": Greek: πόθεν ἔρχομαι (pothen erchomai) - "from where I come." Refers to His divine origin, His pre-existence with the Father before His incarnation (e.g., John 1:1, 1:18). This speaks of His heavenly nature and ultimate source.
- "and whither I go": Greek: ποῦ ὑπάγω (pou hypagō) - "where I go." Refers to His destiny: His return to the Father, His glorification, and the completion of His salvific mission (e.g., John 13:3, 14:28).
"but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go": Greek: ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε (hymeis ouk oidate) - "you do not know."
- "ye cannot tell": This emphasizes their inherent spiritual inability and lack of insight, rather than simply a lack of information. Their earthly perspective and spiritual blindness prevent them from grasping His divine nature and mission.
- This phrase highlights the chasm between Jesus' divine self-awareness and His accusers' limited human perception and unbelief.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "bear record of myself, yet my record is true": This juxtaposition contrasts the legalistic challenge with Jesus' unique theological truth. His self-witness is true because of who He is and His unique access to divine knowledge, not despite it. It redefines the very nature of testimony in His case.
- "I know whence I came, and whither I go" vs. "ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go": This powerful antithesis establishes Jesus' unparalleled authority and divine perspective against the spiritual ignorance of His opponents. It emphasizes His full understanding of His divine personhood, mission, and destination, a knowledge utterly inaccessible to mere humans, especially those who deny His claims.
John 8 14 Bonus section
The profound assertion "I know whence I came, and whither I go" establishes Jesus as the only individual in all of history who could genuinely utter such a statement with full divine authority and absolute knowledge. This isn't philosophical conjecture but an authoritative declaration of His unique Christology. It implies that His entire life, mission, suffering, death, and resurrection were pre-ordained and perfectly understood by Him. This divine foreknowledge and purpose serve as the unshakeable foundation for every teaching and claim He ever made, fundamentally differentiating Him from all prophets and religious leaders. His path was entirely illuminated by God, whereas humanity constantly grapples with its origin and destiny.
John 8 14 Commentary
John 8:14 serves as a pivotal statement clarifying the basis of Jesus' authority and the validity of His claims. When the Pharisees, operating from a legalistic and human framework, invalidate Jesus' self-testimony, Jesus counters by revealing that His witness transcends earthly legal requirements. His truthfulness is not established by external witnesses, but inherently, because He is from God and going back to God, possessing complete, unique knowledge of His divine origin and glorious destination. This knowledge of His pre-existence and future glorification means His very being is intrinsically linked to truth itself. The Pharisees' failure to grasp this point underscores their spiritual blindness; they are fixated on earthly proofs and traditions, unable to perceive the heavenly reality embodied in Christ. This verse highlights Jesus' distinct and ultimate divine identity, asserting that His words carry absolute weight precisely because they originate from an eternal source and flow towards an eternal purpose known only to Him.