John 8 44

John 8:44 kjv

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

John 8:44 nkjv

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

John 8:44 niv

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:44 esv

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:44 nlt

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8 verses

John 8 44 Meaning

This verse is a profound and stark declaration by Jesus to those who oppose Him, identifying their spiritual allegiance. He asserts that their spiritual "father" is the devil, a connection evidenced by their inherent desire to fulfill the devil's destructive agenda. The devil is characterized as a "murderer from the beginning," initiating spiritual and physical death, and utterly devoid of truth, making him the quintessential "liar and the father of lies." This statement exposes the root of their rejection of Jesus and their intent to harm Him, attributing it to an alignment with spiritual evil rather than with God, Abraham, or truth.

John 8 44 Context

John 8:44 is part of a tense and prolonged confrontation between Jesus and Jewish leaders, primarily Pharisees, in Jerusalem. The chapter begins with Jesus teaching in the temple, encountering the woman caught in adultery, and then engaging in a vigorous debate about His identity, His Father, and their spiritual heritage. The dialogue escalates as Jesus challenges their claims of being children of Abraham and God, highlighting their unbelief and their intent to kill Him (Jn 8:37, 40). He distinguishes between physical descent and spiritual paternity, asserting that those who truly belong to God hear His word, whereas His current interlocutors do not. This sets the stage for the definitive and shocking accusation in verse 44, where Jesus directly confronts the spiritual origin of their murderous and deceitful rejection of Him. Historically, this highlights the profound schism between Jesus's revelation of truth and the religious establishment's entrenched human traditions and interpretations.

John 8 44 Word analysis

• You are of your father the devil (ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστέ, humeis ek tou patros tou diabolou este):

  • "You": Refers specifically to those Jewish leaders actively opposing Jesus and seeking to kill Him.
  • "of your father": Signifies spiritual paternity, source, origin, and deep identification. Not a physical father, but a spiritual one, reflecting moral character and ultimate allegiance. It's about whose character one manifests and whose will one carries out.
  • "the devil" (διάβολος, diabolos): The Greek term means "slanderer," "accuser." It's the personification of evil, the ultimate adversary of God and humanity.

• and your will is to do your father's desires (καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν, kai tas epithumias tou patros humōn thelete poiein):

  • "your will is to do" (θέλετε ποιεῖν, thelete poiein): Indicates an active, deliberate choice and desire to act in accordance with. It's not involuntary but a chosen alignment of one's own desires and actions with the devil's. This emphasizes moral responsibility.
  • "your father's desires" (τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν, tas epithumias tou patros humōn): These are the deep-seated evil inclinations and intentions of the devil: hatred for God, truth, and humanity, culminating in deception and destruction.

• He was a murderer from the beginning (ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ekeinos anthrōpoktonos ēn ap’ archēs):

  • "He": Refers to the devil.
  • "a murderer" (ἀνθρωποκτόνος, anthrōpoktonos): Literally, a "man-killer." This signifies not just physical killing but the instigation of spiritual death and the destruction of human life, dignity, and relationship with God.
  • "from the beginning" (ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ap’ archēs): Refers to the earliest stages of creation or humanity's history, typically interpreted as the deception in Eden leading to sin and death (Gen 3), and symbolically, Cain's murder of Abel (Gen 4). It emphasizes the devil's consistent, enduring nature.

• and does not stand in the truth (καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐχ ἕστηκεν, kai en tē alētheia ouch hestēken):

  • "does not stand": Implies a complete lack of footing or foundation in, or adherence to. The devil fundamentally opposes and has no stable relationship with truth.
  • "in the truth" (ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, en tē alētheia): Jesus often refers to Himself as the Truth (Jn 14:6). This is an indictment that the devil is utterly antithetical to divine reality and Christ.

• because there is no truth in him (ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν αὐτῷ, hoti ouk estin alētheia en autō):

  • "no truth in him": Highlights the intrinsic nature of the devil. Truth is not just absent from his actions; it's absent from his very being and character. His essence is devoid of truth.

• When he lies, he speaks out of his own character (ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, hotan lalē to pseudos, ek tōn idiōn lalei):

  • "When he lies": Denotes a habitual action, whenever the opportunity arises.
  • "speaks out of his own character" (ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ek tōn idiōn lalei): Literally, "he speaks from his own things" or "out of his own." This signifies that lying is not something he learns or adopts, but something that springs directly from his core essence and nature. It is authentic to who he is.

• for he is a liar and the father of lies (ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, hoti pseustēs estin kai ho patēr autou):

  • "a liar" (ψεύστης, pseustēs): Directly labels his fundamental character.
  • "the father of lies": Implies he is not just a liar, but the source and originator of all lies, deception, and falsehood. He gives birth to all deception.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.": This powerful opening establishes the central theme: the profound spiritual identification between the opponents and the devil, evidenced by their chosen actions and intentions. It's a statement of moral and spiritual lineage, explaining why they reject Jesus.
  • "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.": These phrases collectively describe the devil's unchanging, ancient character as one who causes destruction and is inherently opposed to truth, having no personal relationship with it. It connects their current desire to murder Jesus (Jn 8:40) to this foundational aspect of their spiritual father.
  • "When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.": This group of phrases highlights the naturalness and originating role of the devil in all falsehood. Lying is his natural language, his inherent disposition, and the source from which all other deceptions flow. It also explains their current rejection of Jesus's truth.

John 8 44 Bonus section

The concept of spiritual fatherhood is central to understanding this verse. Jesus clarifies that while one might be a physical descendant of Abraham, spiritual sonship is contingent on adopting the character and fulfilling the will of God, or, conversely, of the devil. The adversaries of Jesus, despite their physical heritage, aligned their wills and desires with murder and falsehood, reflecting the devil's nature, especially in their intent to kill Jesus, who is the Truth and the Giver of Life. This teaching implies that one’s chosen moral trajectory and actions ultimately reveal their spiritual allegiance, superseding any claims based on ancestry or ritual. The deliberate "will to do" the devil's desires underscores that this spiritual identity is not passively inherited but actively embraced through a heart opposed to God's truth.

John 8 44 Commentary

John 8:44 is one of Jesus's most unreserved and condemnatory statements, delivered in a confrontational context. It pierces through superficial religious claims to expose the profound spiritual reality of His opponents. The central point is spiritual paternity: one is either a child of God or a child of the devil, revealed by one's allegiance, desires, and actions. The phrase "father the devil" means these individuals exhibit the devil's character and participate in his agenda of murder and deception. The devil is inherently a "murderer from the beginning," initiating spiritual death in Eden and manifesting through violence (like Cain). He has no "truth in him" because his nature is absolute falsehood, making him "the father of lies." This statement not only justifies Jesus's rejection of their lineage claims but also reveals the depth of spiritual blindness and rebellion against the Truth (Jesus Himself) that leads to murderous intent and willful unbelief. It serves as a stark reminder that true sonship is determined by spiritual alignment and not merely by physical descent or religious affiliation.