John 8:18 kjv
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
John 8:18 nkjv
I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."
John 8:18 niv
I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
John 8:18 esv
I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me."
John 8:18 nlt
I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other."
John 8 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 17:6 | "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses..." | Basis for two-witness law |
| Deut 19:15 | "...A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person..." | Emphasizes need for multiple witnesses |
| Matt 18:16 | "...every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." | Applies two-witness principle in the Church |
| Jn 5:31 | "If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true." | Previous statement contextualizing 8:18 |
| Jn 5:37 | "And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me." | Father's direct testimony |
| Jn 5:32 | "There is another who bears witness about me..." | Hints at Father's witness |
| Matt 3:17 | "and behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son...'" | Father's audible witness at baptism |
| Matt 17:5 | "...a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said..." | Father's audible witness at Transfiguration |
| Lk 9:35 | "...This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" | Another account of Father's voice |
| Jn 6:44 | "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him..." | Father's work in bringing people to Jesus |
| Jn 7:16 | "My teaching is not my own, but his who sent me." | Jesus' teaching is from the Father |
| Jn 12:49 | "For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me..." | Jesus speaks Father's words |
| Jn 14:10 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?" | Unity of Father and Son |
| Jn 15:26 | "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father...He will bear witness about me." | Holy Spirit also witnesses to Jesus |
| Acts 2:22 | "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God..." | God's attestation through Jesus' deeds |
| Heb 1:1-2 | "In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." | God speaking through His Son |
| 1 Jn 5:9 | "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater..." | God's testimony supersedes human testimony |
| 1 Jn 5:10 | "Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself..." | Internal testimony of Holy Spirit |
| Jn 1:18 | "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." | Jesus reveals the Father |
| Jn 8:42 | "For I proceeded and came forth from God; for I came not of myself, but he sent me." | Jesus' divine origin and sending |
| Rev 22:16 | "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things..." | Jesus' ultimate self-attestation |
John 8 verses
John 8 18 Meaning
John 8:18 declares Jesus' unique authority and the foundation of truth regarding His identity and mission. Jesus asserts that His own testimony concerning Himself is true and valid, not a mere human claim. Crucially, He states that the Father, who sent Him, also provides witness to Him, thereby satisfying the legal requirement of dual testimony and elevating His words to undeniable divine truth. This verse is central to understanding Jesus' claim of deity and His inseparable relationship with the Father.
John 8 18 Context
John chapter 8 is set during the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) in Jerusalem, a time when many Jewish pilgrims would be present. Jesus has just declared Himself the Light of the World (Jn 8:12), sparking a debate with the Pharisees. They challenge His claim by stating, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true" (Jn 8:13). This challenge directly appeals to Mosaic law which requires two or three witnesses for a testimony to be valid (Deut 17:6, 19:15). In John 8:18, Jesus responds by explaining how His self-testimony, combined with the Father's testimony, perfectly fulfills and transcends the Jewish legal standard, thus establishing the divine validity of His claims. This interaction is part of a larger, ongoing conflict with the Jewish religious leaders who questioned Jesus' authority, origin, and relationship with God.
John 8 18 Word analysis
- I: Greek: Egō (ἐγὼ). Pronoun, emphatic first person singular. In the Septuagint and New Testament, this often points to identity and authority. While not Egō Eimi here, it asserts Jesus' self-declaration as the primary source of the statement, carrying implicit divine authority, especially given the "who bears witness" aspect.
- am the one who bears witness: Greek: eimi ho martyrōn (εἰμι ὁ μαρτυρῶν). Literally, "I am the [one] witnessing."
- eimi: "I am." Connects to the divine self-declaration, "I AM" (Exod 3:14), often implied in Johannine ego eimi statements. Here, it signifies Jesus' eternal existence and inherent authority to testify.
- ho martyrōn: "the [one] witnessing" or "the witness." From martyreō (μαρτυρέω), meaning to bear witness, give evidence, testify. This is a legal term, referring to credible testimony given in court. Its use highlights the judicial context of the debate.
- about myself: Greek: peri emautoû (περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ). Reinforces that the subject of Jesus' testimony is Himself. This was precisely the Pharisees' point of contention (Jn 8:13).
- and the Father: Greek: kai ho Patēr (καὶ ὁ Πατήρ). Identifies God as the "Father," emphasizing Jesus' unique filial relationship with God, distinguishing Him from human fathers and implicitly establishing His divine Sonship.
- who sent me: Greek: ho pempsas me (ὁ πέμψας με). A characteristic Johannine phrase describing Jesus' divine commission and origin from God. It denotes Jesus' subordinate, yet divine, mission. The Father is the sender, Jesus is the sent one.
- bears witness about me: Greek: martyrei peri emoû (μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ). "Testifies concerning me." This repetition of martyreō underscores the dual, independent nature of the witness, fulfilling the legal requirement for two testimonies.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "I am the one who bears witness about myself": Jesus establishes His intrinsic authority and self-knowledge as the foundation for His testimony. His witness is not mere assertion but divine truth, as He Himself is the truth. This points to His divine nature – who but God can perfectly testify concerning Himself and His unique identity?
- "and the Father who sent me bears witness about me": This phrase introduces the second, validating witness. The Father's testimony confirms and strengthens Jesus' own witness, placing it beyond human dispute. The act of "sending" underscores the Father's active role in Jesus' mission and authenticates Jesus' claims as divine. This divine collaboration ensures the absolute truthfulness of Jesus' statements, effectively using and transcending the Jewish legal standard for valid testimony.
John 8 18 Bonus section
This verse hints at the distinction within the Godhead, revealing two distinct persons—the Father and the Son—acting in perfect unity to establish divine truth. The Father's role as the "sender" highlights God's initiative in salvation and His active validation of Christ's identity. This concept lays groundwork for deeper Trinitarian understanding later revealed. The "witness" or "martyr" concept, originating from legal testimony, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who is the "faithful witness" (Rev 1:5, 3:14), confirming that His entire life, death, and resurrection were the Father's supreme testimony to Him. The entire Christian faith rests upon this divinely attested truth.
John 8 18 Commentary
John 8:18 is a pivotal verse in Jesus' confrontation with the Jewish leaders, as it addresses their core objection regarding the validity of His self-testimony. Jesus cleverly responds by both validating His unique authority to speak concerning Himself and aligning His divine witness with the established Mosaic law requiring two witnesses (Deut 17:6). His own witness is true because He knows His divine origin and destiny (Jn 8:14), and His nature is truth itself. The Father's witness, equally true and powerful, came through direct vocal declarations (at Jesus' baptism and transfiguration), through the works Jesus performed (Jn 5:36, 10:25), through the Scriptures (Jn 5:39), and through the sending of Jesus Himself. Thus, Jesus does not deny the principle of two witnesses but applies it to a cosmic, divine plane, demonstrating that He is authenticated not just by one, but by two divine witnesses—Himself and the Father. This demonstrates the profound unity of purpose between the Father and the Son, and their shared will in God's redemptive plan.