John 8:38
in John 8I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father.
KJV
I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
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This verse in John 8
Commentary
21 notes on this verseI speak that which I have seen - I speak nothing but that unchangeable, eternal truth which I have received from the bosom of God. Ye do that which ye have seen - Instead of ἑωρακατε, ye have seen, I think we should read ηκουσατε, ye have heard, on the authority of BCKL, fifteen others; Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, later Syriac in the margin, Gothic, one copy of the Itala; Origen, Cyril, and Chrysostom.
This site's exposition
My word has no place within you
on John 8:37-38
He grants the descent freely. The charge comes in the same sentence, that they are trying to kill Him, because His word has no place within them. He then sets two fathers side by side, and the second goes unnamed until verse 44.
This site's exposition
what you have heard from your father
Clarke preferred the manuscripts that read heard for the second clause, as the BSB does. So Jesus speaks of what He has seen and they act on what they have heard. Spurgeon grounds that seeing in His presence with the Father before the worlds were made.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(Tr. xlii. 11) Our Lord by His Father wishes us to understand God: as if to say, I have seen the truth, I speak the truth, because I am the truth. If our Lord then speaks the truth which He saw with the Father, it is Himself that He saw, Himself that He speaks; He being Himself the truth of the Father.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.46 · Written before 253.
proposed
The Savior is an eyewitness to what was done with the Father.… "No one has known the Father except the Son," since they are no longer eyewitnesses to whom the Son has revealed him.
(tom. xx. in Joan. s. 7.) This is proof that our Saviour was witness to what was done with the Father: whereas men, to whom the revelation is made, were not witnesses. (tom. xx. 7.) Also another reading has; And do ye do what ye have heard from the Father. All that was written in the Law and the Prophets they had heard from the Father. He who takes this reading, may use it to prove against them who hold otherwise, that the God who gave the Law and the Prophets, was none other than Christ's Father. And we use it too as an answer to those who maintain two original natures in men, and explain the words, My word hath no place in you, (c. 8) to mean that these were by nature incapable of receiving the word. How could those be of an incapable nature, who had heard from the Father? And how again could they be of a blessed nature, who sought to kill our Saviour, and would not receive His words.
And so He persuaded them not to be ashamed at this slavery, but at that of sin. And desiring to show that they were not slaves, except by repudiating that liberty, He the more showeth them to be slaves by saying, "Ye shall be free indeed." This is the expression of one declaring that this freedom was not real. Then, that they might not say, "We have no sin," (for it was probable that they would say so,) observe how He bringeth them beneath this imputation. For omitting to convict all their life, He bringeth forward that which they had in hand, which they yet desired to do, and saith, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill Me." Gently and by little doth He expel them from that relationship, teaching them not to be high-minded because of it. For as freedom and bondage depend on men's actions, so also doth relationship. He said not directly, "Ye are not the seed of Abraham, ye the murderers of the righteous"; but for a while He even goeth along with them, and saith, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed." Yet this is not the matter in question, and during the remainder of this speech He useth greater vehemence. For we may for the most part observe, that when He is about to work any great thing, after He hath wrought it, He useth greater boldness of speech, as though the testimony from His works shut men's mouths. "But ye seek to kill Me." "What of that," saith some one, "if they sought to do so justly." But this was not so either; wherefore also He puts the reason; "Because My word hath no place in you."
"How then was it," saith some one, "that they believed on Him?" As I before said, they changed again. On which account He touched them sharply. "If ye boast the relationship of Abraham ye ought also to show forth his life." And He said not, "Ye do not contain my words," but, "My word hath no place in you," thus declaring the sublimity of His doctrines. Yet not for this ought they to have slain, but rather to have honored and waited on Him so as to learn. "But what," saith some one, "if thou speakest these things of thyself?" On this account He added, "I speak that which I have seen with My Father, and ye do that which ye have heard from your father." "As," He saith, "I both by My words and by the truth declare the Father, so also do ye by your actions (declare yours). For I have not only the same Substance, but also the same Truth with the Father."
13 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of John, Book 5 · Written before 444.
proposed
Uncontained by the Jews did He say that His word was, and having said that this was the only reason why they were incited against Him, yea rather convicting them of desiring even to kill Him, needs does He add these things also, and why, I will set forth.
The Medieval Church5 voices
But when you hear, I speak that which I have seen, do not think it means bodily vision, but innate knowledge, sure, and approved. For as the eyes when they see an object, see it wholly and correctly; so I speak with certainty what I know from My Father. And ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Lest they should say to Him again that we justly hate You even for Your word, because You speak to us not from God but from Yourself, and therefore we cannot accept Your teaching, He adds: "I speak not of Myself, but I speak what …
"I speak what I have seen with my Father," imitating him: Ephesians 5: "Be imitators of God as most beloved children." "And you do what you have seen with your father"; whence you have a father by imitation. Just as these had a twofold father: …
Because He Himself, Who is the truth, was begotten of God the Father, to hear, being in fact the same with to be from the Father.
In Deuteronomy (c 18) we read that a prophet who speaks, as coming from the mouth of the Lord, things that the Lord did not say, should be killed. So, lest the Jews say that he should be killed for speaking from himself, and not …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
I speak that which I have seen with my Father,....
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2560: “Universal Fatherhood—a Lie!” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
THESE were the words of Christ to those who beset Him round about with angry eyes and cruel tongues. Our Lord declared that He had been with His Father before He spoke with those wicked Jews. And, indeed, He had been, for He was with the Father before the worlds were formed. He saw all that the Father did and He helped in doing it—"Without Him was not anything made that was made." He was the Father's eternal delight.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
ye seek to kill me--He had said this to their face before: He now repeats it, and they do not deny it; yet are they held back, as by some marvellous spell--it was the awe which His combined dignity, courage, and benignity struck into them. because my word hath no place in you--When did ever human prophet so speak of His words?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God." There are things taught in this passage of Scripture which are peculiarly truth for the times. Well would it be for the Churches if all Christians would ponder carefully the matter which it contains.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God." There are things taught in this passage of Scripture which are peculiarly truth for the times. Well would it be for the Churches if all Christians would ponder carefully the matter which it contains. We are taught for one thing the ignorant self-righteousness of the natural man. We find the Jews pluming themselves on their natural descent from Abraham, as if that must of necessity, cover all deficiencies—"Abraham is our father." We find them going even further than this, and claiming to be God's special favorites and God's own family—"We have one Father, even God." They forgot that fleshly relationship to Abraham was useless, unless they shared Abraham's grace. They forgot that God's choice of their father to be head of a favored nation was never meant to carry salvation to the children, unless they walked in their father's footsteps. All this in their blind self-conceit they refused to see. "We are Jews. We are God's children. We are the true Church. We are in the covenant. We must be all right." This was their whole argument! Strange as it may seem, there are multitudes of so-called Christians who are exactly like these Jews. Their whole religion consist of a few notions neither wiser nor better than those propounded by the enemies of our Lord. They will tell you "that they are regular Church people; they have been baptized; they go to the Lord's table"—but they can tell you no more. Of all the essential doctrines of the Gospel they are totally ignorant. Of faith, and grace, and repentance, and holiness, and spiritual mindedness they know nothing at all.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2560: “Universal Fatherhood—a Lie!” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THESE were the words of Christ to those who beset Him round about with angry eyes and cruel tongues. Our Lord declared that He had been with His Father before He spoke with those wicked Jews. And, indeed, He had been, for He was with the Father before the worlds were formed. He saw all that the Father did and He helped in doing it—"Without Him was not anything made that was made." He was the Father's eternal delight. The relationship of father and son among man implies that one exists before the other, but it is not so implied in the relationship of the eternal Father and Son. We know not how to explain this great mystery, for the terms Father and Son are only the nearest approximation that can be given to our poor understandings of the relationship which exists between them. Yet is the Father eternal and the Son eternal—the Son coequal and coeternal with the Father. Our Lord had an existence before He was born of Mary—He had an everlasting existence. His goings forth were from of old, even from eternity. Though He is unto us the Child born and the Son given, yet He is equally, "the Everlasting Father," who was and is and ever shall be One with the eternal God. We learn, from what Christ said, that He knows all the Father's mind. He understands the very essence of the Godhead. He is acquainted with the purposes that are kept secret from men and angels. As God, He knows what none of us can know till the day shall declare it and there is nothing in the Father's heart that is hidden from Him. As the Son of Man, He knew not all things, for He grew up as a child and increasedin knowledge. And He said, "Of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." But as Divine, He is acquainted with all the Father's heart, mind, will, desire, purpose and plan.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I speak ... - Joh 3:11-13. My Father - God. Your father - The devil. See Joh 8:44. To see here means to learn of. They had learned of or been taught by the devil, and imitated him.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἃ | ha | Those which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ἑώρακα | he'oraka | have seen | G3708 → | 60 times |
| παρὰ | para | with | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατρὶ | patri | Father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| λαλῶ· | lalo | I speak; | G2980 → | 294 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἃ | ha | what things | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἠκούσατε | ekousate | you have heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| παρὰ | para | from | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατρὸς | patros | father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ποιεῖτε.¶ | poieite | you do. | G4160 → | 569 times |
ἃThose which
haG3739 →1405 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
ἑώρακαhave seen
he'orakaG3708 →60 times
παρὰwith
paraG3844 →192 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πατρὶFather
patriG3962 →410 times
λαλῶ·I speak;
laloG2980 →294 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ἃwhat things
haG3739 →1405 times
ἠκούσατεyou have heard
ekousateG191 →425 times
παρὰfrom
paraG3844 →192 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
πατρὸςfather
patrosG3962 →410 times
ποιεῖτε.¶you do.
poieiteG4160 →569 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 5:19So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
it leads to
- John 14:10
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 12:49
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.
- John 8:28
So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father…
- John 14:10
Through
John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.…
it leads to
- Acts 13:10
and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
- 1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- 1 John 3:8–10
The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the…
- Acts 13:10
Through
John 5:30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
it leads to
Where this verse is studied
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About John
This page draws on 18 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 8; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2560: “Universal Fatherhood—a Lie!” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 5; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Gospel of John; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 54; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.46; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.