John 8 48

John 8:48 kjv

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

John 8:48 nkjv

Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

John 8:48 niv

The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

John 8:48 esv

The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

John 8:48 nlt

The people retorted, "You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?"

John 8 verses

John 8 48 Meaning

John 8:48 captures the apex of the escalating hostility between Jesus and His Jewish opponents. Their words, "Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil," are not questions but definitive, cutting accusations designed to slander and delegitimize Jesus entirely. They brand Him as both a social/religious outcast (Samaritan) and spiritually corrupt, operating under the influence of evil (having a devil). This response from His adversaries underscores their complete rejection of His identity and teachings, viewing Him as an enemy of their religious traditions and a blasphemer aligned with darkness.

John 8 48 Context

John 8:48 occurs amidst a charged and escalating debate between Jesus and certain Jewish leaders, particularly those who were opposing Him. The preceding verses in John chapter 8 detail Jesus teaching in the temple, asserting His identity as the "Light of the World" (v. 12), His divine origin, and His unparalleled knowledge of the Father. He speaks about the truth setting people free from sin and identifies true Abrahamic descent not by lineage but by acting like Abraham. The tension culminates when Jesus declares that anyone who keeps His word will "never see death" (v. 51). This audacious claim is what directly incites the opponents in verse 48. Their outrage stems from Jesus implicitly putting Himself above Abraham and the prophets, suggesting that even Abraham experienced death. The accusations in John 8:48 are their desperate, spiteful response to Jesus' profound spiritual authority and His radical claims about Himself. Historically, relations between Judeans and Samaritans were marked by deep animosity, suspicion, and religious schism. For a Jew to call another a "Samaritan" was a grave insult, linking them with apostasy and impurity. Furthermore, the belief in demonic possession and influence was prevalent. To accuse someone of having a demon was to assert that their actions, power, or teachings derived from evil, effectively dismissing them as madmen or tools of the devil, the gravest possible theological insult against one claiming divine authority.

John 8 48 Word analysis

• Then answered (ἀπεκρίθησαν - apekrithesan): This is a strong and decisive response, indicating that the Jewish opponents are reacting directly and emotionally to Jesus' previous statements, specifically His bold claims of authority and life without death. It's not a gentle reply but a direct rebuttal stemming from deep-seated hostility.
• the Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι - hoi Ioudaioi): In John's Gospel, this often refers not to all Jewish people, but specifically to the Jewish religious leaders and a segment of the populace deeply opposed to Jesus and His teachings. They represent the institutional resistance to Christ's claims.
• and said unto him: A direct address, signifying their confrontational posture and personal attack against Jesus.
• Thou (σὺ - sy): The singular "you," used emphatically, making the accusation highly personal and accusatory.
• art a Samaritan (Σαμαρίτης εἶ - Samarites ei):
  • Samaritan (Σαμαρίτης - Samarites): More than just a geographical identification. It was a profound racial, religious, and social insult. Samaritans were seen as a hybrid people, ethnically impure, and religiously unorthodox by Judeans. They worshipped on Mount Gerizim and rejected much of Jewish tradition, only accepting the Pentateuch. To call Jesus a "Samaritan" was to accuse Him of being an outsider, an impure heretic, someone beyond the bounds of true Israel. This was intended to nullify His Jewish identity and spiritual legitimacy.
  • art (εἶ - ei): A direct statement of being, solidifying the accusation of identity.
• and hast a devil (καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις - kai daimonion echeis):
  • devil / demon (δαιμόνιον - daimonion): Refers to an evil spirit or demon, not the Devil (Satan) himself. It implies that Jesus' words and deeds are not from God but from an evil supernatural source. This charge was the gravest accusation, suggesting blasphemy and alignment with demonic powers.
  • hast / possess (ἔχεις - echeis): Implies that Jesus is under the control, influence, or possession of a demon. This accusation seeks to undermine all of Jesus' teachings and miracles, claiming their source is evil. It simultaneously attacks His sanity, integrity, and divine connection.

• "Thou art a Samaritan" (Group): This phrase constitutes an identity attack, attempting to cast Jesus as a pariah, discrediting His Jewish lineage, religious purity, and connection to the covenant. It was a desperate attempt to invalidate His authority by association with the utterly despised.
• "and hast a devil" (Group): This second phrase escalates the insult to a spiritual attack. It's an accusation that seeks to explain away Jesus' extraordinary wisdom and power by attributing them to a satanic source, thereby making Him a purveyor of evil, insane, and blasphemous. Together, these two accusations represent the complete intellectual and spiritual bankruptcy of Jesus' opponents in their failure to understand or accept Him. They represent the ultimate vilification of Jesus on both a socio-religious and supernatural level.

John 8 48 Bonus section

• The progression of insults throughout John 8 shows the mounting anger of the Jewish opponents. Before these extreme accusations, they called Him a "liar" (v. 44) and questioned His claims by pointing out that even Abraham and the prophets died (v. 52), so how could Jesus offer life without death? Their insults in v. 48 are a peak of this verbal aggression, a final, desperate attempt to delegitimize Him entirely when they could not refute His teachings with logic.
• Jesus' response to these accusations, particularly the charge of having a demon, is seen in v. 49: "I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me." He addresses the demon accusation directly but largely ignores the "Samaritan" insult, possibly seeing it as too ridiculous or beneath response, or because the demonic accusation was far graver and impacted the validity of His mission.
• This verse highlights the contrast between those who believe in Jesus and those who actively reject and persecute Him, a common theme in John's Gospel. The spiritual darkness of His opponents is illuminated by their vile accusations, which stand in stark contrast to Jesus, "the light of the world."

John 8 48 Commentary

John 8:48 encapsulates the deep-seated spiritual blindness and virulent opposition faced by Jesus. The dual accusations—being a "Samaritan" and "having a devil"—represent the severest possible insults hurled by Jesus' opponents, betraying their profound misapprehension of His person and purpose. Calling Him a Samaritan was to brand Him as a social and religious outcast, fundamentally impure and separated from God's chosen people, denying His very identity as the promised Messiah of Israel. This label dismissed Him as a heretic and alien. The accusation of having a devil was even more damning; it implied that His powerful teachings and miraculous works derived not from God but from evil, asserting He was either mad or aligned with Satan. This directly attacked the divine source of His authority, positioning Him as a dangerous deceiver. This exchange demonstrates the sheer hostility Jesus faced and the radical nature of their rejection, showcasing how truth, when inconvenient or challenging to entrenched beliefs, can provoke fierce and irrational slander. It underscores the spiritual battle and the human tendency to resort to character assassination rather than engage with the truth. For us, this serves as a potent reminder of how readily truth can be twisted or rejected, even leading to unjust condemnation.