John 8:53

Are you better than our grand-father Abraham? He died. And all the men that told people God’s messages, they all died too. So, who do you think you are?”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

In Context

52Then the Jewish leaders said, “Now we know for sure that you have a bad spirit in you. Think about all of our grand-fathers that lived a long time ago. They all died. Our father Abraham died, and so did all the men that told people God’s messages. But you say, ‘If anyone does what I say, they will never finish up.’ You are wrong.

54Jesus said, “If I tell people that I am great, my words mean nothing. But my father is the one that tells people that I am great. And you reckon that he is your God.

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Cross References

Matthew 12:41Jonah went to the people that lived in the city called Nineveh, and he told them God’s message. Those people listened to him, and they stopped doing bad things and turned to God. Well, later, on the day when God will judge everyone, that Nineveh mob will get up and tell you mob here that you are wrong. You see, that Nineveh mob listened to Jonah. And I am greater than Jonah, but you mob don’t listen properly to me. You don’t turn to God, and you don’t stop doing bad things.

John 5:18That made the Jewish leaders more angry, and they tried to find a way to kill him. They said to themselves, “This man breaks God’s law and works on our rest day. And he calls God his father too. That means he is saying that he is the same as God. He has to die.”

John 10:29My father gave them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone, so nobody can grab them and steal them from my father.

John 12:34But the people in the crowd said, “God’s book says that the Christ, the special man that God promised to send to save us, he will live for ever. But you say that they will lift up the man from heaven and put him on a cross to die. Are you talking about the same man? Who is this man from heaven?”

Matthew Henry on John 8:52-59

Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye… Read the whole commentary →

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