John 8 35

John 8:35 kjv

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

John 8:35 nkjv

And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

John 8:35 niv

Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

John 8:35 esv

The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

John 8:35 nlt

A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.

John 8 verses

John 8 35 Meaning

John 8:35 states, "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever." This verse illuminates the fundamental difference between the temporary status of a slave and the permanent, inherent belonging of a son within a household. Spiritually, it underscores that those who are enslaved to sin have no enduring place or inheritance in God's household or kingdom. Only through the Son, Jesus Christ, can one receive true freedom and become a child of God, securing an eternal place and inheritance in His divine family.

John 8 35 Context

This verse is situated within a lengthy discourse where Jesus interacts with the Jews who believed in Him, specifically in the Temple treasury (John 8:20). The conversation begins with Jesus declaring Himself as "the light of the world" (John 8:12) and progresses to topics of truth, freedom, and spiritual lineage. The Jews assert their freedom based on being descendants of Abraham, stating, "We are Abraham's offspring and have never been enslaved to anyone" (John 8:33). Jesus counters this claim by revealing a deeper slavery—bondage to sin. He explains that "everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). It is within this profound revelation that Jesus uses the illustration of the slave and the son to clarify the nature of true freedom and permanent belonging. He implies that their physical descent from Abraham does not guarantee spiritual freedom or permanent standing in God's household if they remain enslaved by sin. Only the Son (Jesus Himself) has the authority to grant true freedom and a lasting place in the Father's house.

John 8 35 Word analysis

• ὁ δοῦλος (ho doulos): "the slave, the bondservant." In this context, it refers to one in involuntary or chosen servitude, having no rights of inheritance and an uncertain, temporary position in the household. Spiritually, it signifies one enslaved by sin (Jn 8:34), who cannot secure a permanent place in God's eternal kingdom by their own merit or lineage. Their standing is precarious.
• οὐ μένει (ou menei): "does not remain, will not abide." This expresses impermanence and a lack of enduring presence. It suggests that a slave, even one considered part of the household, has no guarantee of long-term residence; their status can change, or they may be dismissed at any time. It emphasizes exclusion from the permanent familial inheritance.
• εἰς τὸν οἶκον (eis ton oikon): "in/into the house." This phrase metaphorically represents the household or family, but more profoundly, God's kingdom or spiritual family. It signifies belonging, security, and the sphere of inheritance. For the slave, their dwelling in the house is conditional and lacks inherent rights.
• εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα (eis ton aiona): "forever, unto the age." This emphasizes eternity and ultimate permanence. The slave's transient status contrasts sharply with this eternal permanence. It speaks to the secure, everlasting nature of the Son's belonging.
• ὁ υἱός (ho huios): "the son." Primarily refers to Jesus Himself, the true Son of God, who possesses inherent, eternal right and authority in His Father's house. Secondarily, through Jesus, it refers to believers who are adopted as children of God, thereby sharing in His sonship and receiving the right to remain forever. A son has full rights and is the permanent heir of the household.
• μένων (menōn): "does remain, abides." This is the antonym to ou menei. It signifies enduring presence, security, and a permanent, vested interest within the household. This staying is not temporary or conditional but perpetual and rightful.

Words-group analysis:

• "ὁ δοῦλος οὐ μένει εἰς τὸν οἶκον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα": "The slave does not remain in the house forever." This phrase establishes the temporal, conditional, and ultimately impermanent nature of a slave's position within a household, particularly God's spiritual household. Their relationship is one of duty, not of intrinsic belonging or eternal right.
• "ὁ υἱός μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα": "the son does remain forever." This directly contrasts with the slave, highlighting the son's eternal, secure, and inherent position as an heir within the household. This permanent abiding is based on identity and relationship, not on temporary service. It is a promise of everlasting security for those who are made sons in Christ.

John 8 35 Bonus section

This verse emphasizes Jesus' unique position and authority. He is "the Son" (John 1:18, 3:16, 5:19-26), not merely another prophet or servant like Moses (Heb 3:5-6). His authority to grant true freedom and eternal dwelling flows directly from His divine sonship. Furthermore, the concept of "the house" in this context points not only to God's heavenly abode but also to His spiritual kingdom and His people, the church (Eph 2:19-22). Those who truly "remain" are those who have put their faith in Jesus and are spiritually adopted into this permanent family, secure in their inheritance. This contrasts with a superficial adherence or temporary belief which, like the slave's temporary presence, will not endure forever.

John 8 35 Commentary

John 8:35 distills Jesus' teaching on spiritual freedom and identity through a profound familial analogy. In ancient Jewish and Roman society, a slave's position, though sometimes secure, was fundamentally temporary and lacked the full rights of a family member or heir. A son, however, possessed an undeniable, permanent, and inheritable place within the household. Jesus uses this common understanding to challenge His listeners' assumption that their physical lineage from Abraham guaranteed them spiritual permanence in God's "house." He reveals that true spiritual bondage is to sin, which alienates one from eternal communion with God. Just as a slave can be expelled from a human house, so too can those enslaved by sin be excluded from God's eternal household. Only the "Son," Jesus Christ, has the inherent right and power to eternally remain and, crucially, to confer that same permanent status upon others by making them children of God through adoption (Rom 8:15-17; Gal 4:4-7). This verse underscores that salvation is not a temporary lease or a service contract, but an eternal belonging rooted in divine sonship, made possible solely through faith in the Son.