John 8:16 kjv
And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
John 8:16 nkjv
And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.
John 8:16 niv
But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
John 8:16 esv
Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
John 8:16 nlt
And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me.
John 8 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 5:22 | "For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son." | Father delegates judgment to Son. |
| Jn 5:27 | "And He has given Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of Man." | Son has authority to judge. |
| Jn 5:30 | "My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me." | Jesus' judgment is just as it's from the Father. |
| Jn 10:30 | "I and the Father are one." | Jesus' unity with the Father. |
| Jn 14:10 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?" | Mutual indwelling of Father and Son. |
| Jn 16:32 | "Behold, the hour is coming... you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." | Father's constant presence with Jesus. |
| Jn 3:17 | "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." | God's salvific purpose in sending the Son. |
| Jn 6:38 | "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me." | Jesus' mission is solely the Father's will. |
| Jn 7:16 | "My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me." | Jesus' teaching authority comes from the Father. |
| Jn 8:42 | "I came not of My own accord, but He sent Me." | Jesus' divine commission and origin. |
| Jn 12:49 | "For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment." | Father is source of Jesus' words and authority. |
| Jn 14:24 | "The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me." | Father's words conveyed through Jesus. |
| Jn 17:3 | "And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." | Jesus as the One sent by God. |
| 1 Jn 4:9 | "In this the love of God was manifested... God sent His only Son into the world." | God's love shown in sending His Son. |
| 1 Jn 4:14 | "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world." | Apostolic testimony to Father sending Son. |
| Deut 19:15 | "A single witness shall not suffice... only on the testimony of two or three witnesses." | Basis of Jewish law for witness validity. |
| Deut 17:6 | "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death." | Law requiring multiple witnesses for serious cases. |
| Matt 18:16 | "That every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." | Principle of multiple witnesses in new covenant. |
| 2 Cor 13:1 | "On the evidence of two or three witnesses every charge shall be established." | Apostolic emphasis on the two-witness rule. |
| Ps 96:13 | "For He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness." | God's righteous and faithful judgment. |
| Ps 9:8 | "And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity." | God as the righteous and equitable Judge. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that He should lie..." | God's unchangeable truthfulness. |
| Heb 6:18 | "It is impossible for God to lie." | God's inherent inability to be untruthful. |
John 8 verses
John 8 16 Meaning
John 8:16 declares the absolute legitimacy and divine origin of Jesus' authority to judge. Jesus asserts that His judgment is undeniably true, authentic, and righteous, not based on mere human opinion or solitary testimony. This validity stems from His unique and intimate union with God the Father, who Himself commissioned and sent Jesus into the world. Thus, Jesus' judgment is effectively the Father's judgment, demonstrating their shared purpose, will, and divine essence.
John 8 16 Context
John 8:16 is a pivotal statement within a larger confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. Preceding this verse, Jesus declares Himself the "Light of the World" (Jn 8:12), sparking an immediate challenge from the Pharisees, who question the validity of His self-testimony (Jn 8:13). They assert that His witness is not true because He bears witness of Himself. In this verse, Jesus begins His rebuttal, laying the groundwork for His subsequent defense, which involves appealing to the Jewish legal requirement for two witnesses (Jn 8:17-18). The immediate historical context is therefore a religious debate over Jesus' authority, origin, and the truthfulness of His claims in light of established Jewish law and tradition.
John 8 16 Word analysis
- And if I judge (κἀν κρίνω - kan krinō): The Greek "καν" (kaí eán) indicates a logical condition, but here it often carries a concessive force or simply means "even if" or "when." It doesn't imply uncertainty about Jesus judging, but rather presents a hypothetical yet active judgment. "Κρίνω" (krinō) means to distinguish, decide, pass judgment. It encompasses both the act of discernment and the pronouncement of a verdict, emphasizing His authority in evaluating spiritual truth and falsehood.
- my judgment is true (ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἐμὴ ἀληθής ἐστιν - hē krisis hē emē alēthēs estin):
- Judgment (κρίσις - krisis): Refers to the verdict or the act of judging.
- True (ἀληθής - alēthēs): Beyond mere factuality, "alēthēs" in this context denotes genuine, valid, authentic, conforming to ultimate divine reality. Jesus' judgment is not subject to human fallibility; it is rooted in God's perfect truth. This is distinct from "alēthinē" (ἀληθινή) which emphasizes absolute truth or realness (used for the 'true' vine, light).
- for I am not alone (ὅτι μόνος οὐκ εἰμί - hoti monos ouk eimi): "Ὅτι" (hoti - for/because) introduces the reason for the truthfulness of His judgment. "Μόνος" (monos) means alone or solitary. This negates the very basis of the Pharisees' objection (Jn 8:13), implying Jesus acts in divine communion, not as an isolated human. This concept deeply challenges their legalistic interpretation of testimony.
- but I and the Father (ἀλλὰ ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πέμψας με Πατήρ - alla egō kai ho pempsas me Patēr): This phrase presents the two valid witnesses according to Jewish law. It moves beyond mere company to full unity of will, purpose, and essence.
- Father (Πατήρ - Patēr): Highlights God's paternal relationship with Jesus, signifying authority, source, and intimacy.
- who sent Me (ὁ πέμψας με - ho pempsas me): This participle underscores Jesus' divine commission and divine origin. It repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus acts not independently but as God's unique emissary. His authority, words, and actions are thus not His own self-initiated claims, but direct expressions of the Father's will and purpose. This is a core theme in John's Gospel, legitimizing all of Jesus' claims and distinguishing Him from human prophets.
John 8 16 Bonus section
The statement "I and the Father who sent Me" is a significant Christological affirmation. It doesn't just state the presence of the Father with Jesus, but establishes a foundational truth for understanding Jesus' unique identity: His self-witness is not arbitrary, but grounded in a shared, unified essence and divine purpose with God. The constant Johannine motif of "the One who sent Me" ("ὁ πέμψας με") highlights the eternal Father-Son relationship, demonstrating Jesus' pre-existence and the deliberate, sovereign nature of His incarnation. This reiteration serves to counter any suggestion of a rogue or self-appointed Messiah, presenting Jesus instead as the perfectly aligned and commissioned Agent of divine revelation and salvation.
John 8 16 Commentary
John 8:16 stands as a profound assertion of Jesus' divine authority and the intrinsic truthfulness of His words and actions. In the face of His critics' challenge regarding His solitary witness, Jesus profoundly declares that His judgment is undeniably true, because He is never alone. His inherent unity and perfect accord with God the Father mean that His testimony is, in fact, the testimony of two divine witnesses – Himself and the Father who sent Him. This statement not only appeals to the very Jewish law of two witnesses, which He will explicitly mention in the following verses, but elevates it to a divine standard. Jesus’ judgment, discernment, and teachings are therefore entirely trustworthy and righteous, directly reflecting the divine will and nature of the Almighty God. This challenges human skepticism and calls for faith in His unique relationship with the Father and His divinely appointed mission.