John 8:39

They replied to him, “Abraham is our ancestor.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s descendants, your character would be like Abraham’s character, and you would do good things like Abraham did.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

In Context

38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you do the things that you have heard from your father.”

40I have been telling you the truth that I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham did not do things like that.

Read all of John 8

Cross References

Matthew 3:9God promised to give Abraham many descendants. In order to fulfill that promise, God does not need you! I tell you that he can change these stones to make them descendants of Abraham. So do not start to say to yourselves, ‘Since we are descendants of our ancestor Abraham, God will not punish us even though we have sinned.’

John 8:37I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you are trying to kill me because you are not allowing [PRS] my message to continue to change your inner being.

Romans 4:12Likewise, Abraham is the spiritual ancestor of all us Jews who are not merely circumcised but who, more importantly, believe in God’s promise as our ancestor Abraham did, even before he was circumcised.

Romans 9:7And it is also not all of Abraham’s natural descendants that God considers to be his people. Instead, God considers only some of them to be Abraham’s children. This agrees with what God told Abraham: “It is Isaac, not any of your(sg) other sons, whom I will consider to be the true father of your descendants.”

Galatians 3:29Furthermore, since you belong to Christ, you are like Abraham’s descendants because you trust God as Abraham did, and you will possess/receive all that God has promised [MET].

Matthew Henry on John 8:39-48

Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 8:39