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

Jesus declares that those who oppose Him are children of the devil, characterized by a desire to do the devil's will and a murderous inclination from the beginning. They reject God's truth and accuse Jesus.

John 8 44 Context

This verse occurs in John chapter 8 during a heated confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders. They question Jesus' authority and parentage, escalating into accusations and denial of Jesus' identity and divine mission. Jesus' discourse highlights a fundamental spiritual divide, not merely about His claims, but about their inherent nature and allegiances. The broader context involves Jesus teaching in the temple precincts and his escalating conflict with those who opposed his message of truth and salvation.

John 8 44 Word Analysis

• "You": Plural pronoun, referring directly to the Jewish leaders present.
• "are": Present tense, indicating an ongoing state of being.
• "of": Signifies origin, belonging, or being from.
• "your": Possessive pronoun, identifying possession.
• "father": Denotes parentage, but here used spiritually to indicate origin and allegiance.
• "the": Definite article, specific.
• "devil": Greek: ho diabolos. Transliteration: ho diabolos. Meaning: the accuser, the slanderer, the adversary. Refers to Satan.
• "the": Definite article, specific.
• "desires": Greek: thelete. Transliteration: thelete. Meaning: to wish, to will, to desire, to want. Implies deliberate volition and inclination.
• "of": Signifies possession or origin.
• "your": Possessive pronoun, identifying possession.
• "father": As above, referring to the devil.
• "do": Greek: poiein. Transliteration: poiein. Meaning: to do, to make, to practice. Suggests action and habitual behavior.
• "words": Greek: ton logon. Transliteration: ton logon. Meaning: the sayings, the utterances, the teachings. Refers to Jesus' message.
• "the": Definite article, specific.
• "man": Greek: anthropos. Transliteration: anthropos. Meaning: human being, man. Refers to Jesus.
• "killing": Greek: phoneuo. Transliteration: phoneuo. Meaning: to kill, to murder. Denotes the intent to take a life.
• "me": Pronoun, referring to Jesus.
• "has": Auxiliary verb, present perfect tense.
• "told": Past participle, indicating a completed action.
• "you": Plural pronoun, referring to the leaders.
• "the": Definite article, specific.
• "truth": Greek: aletheian. Transliteration: aletheian. Meaning: truth, reality, sincerity. Refers to Jesus' teachings and nature.
• "God": Greek: theou. Transliteration: theou. Meaning: God.
• "of": Signifies origin or relationship.
• "you": Plural pronoun.
• "father": As above.
• "who": Relative pronoun.
• "is": Verb of being.
• "your": Possessive pronoun.
• "father": As above.

Words/Groups Analysis:

• "children of your father the devil": This phrase establishes a spiritual lineage. They are not physically offspring, but rather exhibit the characteristics and carry out the desires of the devil, indicating their allegiance.
• "the desires of your father": Emphasizes the devil's will and intentions being mirrored in their actions and thoughts.
• "you do": Highlights their active participation and choice in acting out these devilish desires.
• "murderer from the beginning": This refers to the devil's role in instigating sin and rebellion from the very start of creation (implied by Cain's lineage) and his opposition to God's purposes. Jesus links their murderous intent toward Him to this primordial antagonism.
• "he was a murderer from the beginning": attributes the origin of murder and sin to the devil, connecting it to his rebellion against God and his first deceptive acts in Eden.
• "has not stood in the truth": Implies that the devil never aligned himself with or belonged to the truth of God. His nature is antithetical to truth.
• "because there is no truth in him": States a foundational characteristic of the devil – complete absence of truth.
• "When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature": Links lying directly to the devil's essence; it is his natural mode of operation.
• "for he is a liar and the father of lies": Provides the ultimate identity of the devil – the source and propagator of all falsehood.
• "you seek to kill me": Directly accuses them of their intent to take Jesus' life, connecting their action to the devil's nature.
• "a man who has told you the truth": Contrasts their murderous intent with Jesus' divine nature and the fact that He has communicated God's truth to them, highlighting their rejection of God's revelation.

John 8 44 Bonus Section

The concept of "father of lies" points to Satan's role as the originator and sustainer of deception throughout history. His first recorded action in Genesis involves lying to Eve (Gen 3:4-5), setting a pattern of deception against humanity. This verse connects the historical instance of Cain's murder of Abel (Gen 4) to the devil's "murderer from the beginning" nature, implying Satan influenced Cain's actions, thus initiating murder. Jesus’ confrontation highlights the inherent conflict between God’s kingdom of truth and Satan's kingdom of lies and destruction, a conflict playing out in the hearts of men. The listeners' inability to understand Jesus’ words (John 8:43) is presented not as a cognitive failure, but a spiritual inability, rooted in their inherited allegiance to their father, the devil.

John 8 44 Commentary

Jesus reveals the spiritual identity and source of His accusers' actions. They are not acting from a genuine relationship with God, but are aligned with the devil. Their actions, particularly their intent to kill Jesus, stem from a fundamental disposition that opposes divine truth, mirroring the devil's own character as the primordial liar and murderer. This identifies them as spiritual descendants of Satan, driven by his malevolent will rather than God's truth. Their rejection of Jesus’ message is evidence of this deeply ingrained spiritual corruption, demonstrating their inability to perceive or accept divine truth because it is contrary to their adopted father's nature.

• Practical application: We must discern the spiritual source behind beliefs and actions. Holding onto falsehoods and rejecting truth can align us with opposing spiritual forces.
• Example: A person constantly spreading malicious rumors and lies, refusing to admit error when confronted with facts, might be displaying characteristics of a "child of the devil" in their communication, acting contrary to truth.