John 8 21

John 8:21 kjv

Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

John 8:21 nkjv

Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."

John 8:21 niv

Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."

John 8:21 esv

So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."

John 8:21 nlt

Later Jesus said to them again, "I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going."

John 8 verses

John 8 21 Meaning

This verse conveys a solemn warning from Jesus to those who rejected Him, specifically the Jewish leaders. Jesus foretells His impending departure (to the Father), stating that they will eventually seek Him, but too late and in the wrong way. The dire consequence of their continued unbelief is that they will die in their sins, preventing them from entering the realm where He goes – the presence of God in heaven. It highlights the eternal separation for those who do not accept His salvation in their lifetime.

John 8 21 Context

John 8:21 is part of a longer discourse and escalating confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish authorities and those who heard Him, during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Jerusalem (Jn 7-8). This feast celebrated God's provision and presence. Jesus uses this occasion to present Himself as the "Light of the World" (Jn 8:12) and "living water." The religious leaders accuse Him, question His origin, and attempt to stone Him. Jesus’ statement in verse 21 reinforces His divine origin and destination, and lays bare the ultimate fate of those who reject Him and remain in spiritual darkness. He reiterates the critical nature of their spiritual condition and the eternal consequences of their unbelief. The setting emphasizes the urgency of His message amidst ongoing theological and personal conflict.

John 8 21 Word analysis

• Then said Jesus again unto them: "Then" (οὖν, oun) marks a continuation, linking to the preceding challenging exchange. "Again" emphasizes a repeated warning, showing Jesus' earnestness and their persistent misunderstanding or unbelief.
• I go my way: (ἐγὼ ὑπάγω, egō hypagō) "I" is emphatic. "Hypagō" means to depart or go, often used in John to describe Jesus’ return to the Father or His mission-oriented departure, distinct from a casual movement. It signifies His divine, purposeful exit from the earthly realm.
• and ye shall seek me: (καὶ ζητήσετέ με, kai zētēseté me) Future tense, implying a time after His physical departure. This seeking is not a search for salvation through faith, but possibly a futile, despairing search for a messiah in times of distress, or a belated recognition of His truth without repentance.
• and shall die in your sins: (καὶ ἀποθανεῖσθε ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν, kai apothaneisthe en tais hamartiais hymōn) A profound and dreadful pronouncement. "Die" (ἀποθανεῖσθε) here refers not merely to physical death, but spiritual and eternal death, remaining unforgiven and unreconciled with God. "In your sins" signifies being eternally bound by the guilt, power, and condemnation of sin, without Christ’s atoning work applied to them. This condition implies complete spiritual alienation from God.
• whither I go: (ὅπου ἐγὼ ὑπάγω, hopou egō hypagō) Refers to His heavenly destination, His Father's presence, the realm of holiness and eternal life.
• ye cannot come: (ὑμεῖς οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, hymeis ou dynasthe elthein) "Cannot" (οὐ δύνασθε) signifies impossibility due to an intrinsic state, not merely unwillingness. Their state of being "in their sins" fundamentally bars them from entering God’s holy presence. It highlights the absolute barrier between unredeemed sin and the Holy God.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• I go my way, and ye shall seek me: This pairing juxtaposes Jesus’ sovereign departure with their future, yet futile, search. His going is purposeful and toward the Father; their seeking is fruitless because it lacks genuine faith and comes too late to alter their sinful state.
• and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come: This second clause clarifies the dire consequences. "Dying in your sins" is the active state of their condemnation. "Whither I go, ye cannot come" is the unavoidable, eternal outcome directly stemming from that condemned state. The boundary between holy God and unrepentant sin is absolute.

John 8 21 Bonus section

The "die in your sins" declaration also directly contrasts with the spiritual condition of a believer who dies "in Christ." Believers, by faith, have their sins forgiven and are reckoned righteous; thus, their death is a transition into eternal life with God, rather than being confined by their sins. The impossibility for the unbeliever to come where Jesus goes highlights the unbridgeable chasm between sin and divine holiness without the mediating work of Christ. It reflects a core theological principle that a holy God cannot fellowship with unholiness. This verse is also echoed in John 8:24, where Jesus repeats the same warning, reinforcing its profound importance.

John 8 21 Commentary

John 8:21 delivers one of Jesus' most sobering warnings, underscoring the irreversible consequences of rejecting divine truth. His departure, a central theme in John's Gospel, marks a point of no return for those who persist in unbelief. The phrase "die in your sins" is not merely a statement of physical demise but signifies a permanent, spiritual separation from God, remaining under sin's condemnation. This condition makes it impossible to enter the Father's presence, a realm of holiness accessible only through Christ. The repeated warnings by Jesus emphasize the urgency of repentance and faith while opportunity still exists, for a time will come when true access to Him for salvation is no longer available to those who spurned Him. The emphasis is on the critical choice that leads either to life with God or eternal death alienated from Him.