John 8:54

ESV Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

NIV Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

NASB Jesus answered, 'If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;

CSB "If I glorify myself," Jesus answered, "my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me.

NLT Jesus answered, 'If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’

KJV Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

NKJV Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.

What does John 8:54 mean?

Jesus has already pointed out that the words and works He does are under the commands of God the Father (John 8:26). He is not seeking attention or self-promotion and has always given credit to God (John 8:50). Since He is supported by evidence from God, such as miracles (John 5:36) and Scripture (John 5:39–40), Jesus' words ought to be accepted. Instead, those who seek to have Jesus killed (John 5:18; 7:1) are being stubborn. They keep misinterpreting Jesus' words because they do not want to know the truth (John 7:17; 8:43).

Prior to this, Jesus has pointed out that His critics act more like the Devil than they do like Abraham (John 8:44). They lie, they use violence, and they reject God by rejecting Christ (John 6:29). Here, Jesus will begin to make this condemnation even more direct, literal, and pointed. This begins with Jesus confronting their claims to follow God. As pointed out before, those who truly follow God are meant to listen to His message (John 6:37). Those who reject God's Word cannot claim to be part of His family (John 8:37–38) and are damned to die for their sins (John 8:21).

As continued in the next verse, Jesus will directly call this claim—that Jerusalem's religious leaders follow God—a lie. These men, who hypocritically protect their own power instead of following the truth, do not know God.

Expand

Context Summary
John 8:31–59 dovetails with John 2:13–22. There, Jesus drove corrupt businessmen from the temple. These Scriptures disprove any myths that Jesus was weak, timid, passive, or soft. In this exchange with the Pharisees, Jesus pulls no punches. Jerusalem's religious leaders, and their followers, continue to resist Jesus' preaching. They rely on arrogance and insults, to which Jesus responds with blunt, unfiltered condemnation. This culminates in Jesus making an overt statement of His own divinity, punctuating the debate by declaring ''before Abraham was, I am!''

Expand

Chapter Summary
This begins with the story of the adulterous woman, a well-known but controversial passage. Most scholars believe this story is authentic, but not originally found in this exact spot in Scripture. The rest of chapter 8 continues Jesus' preaching during the Feast of Booths, where He once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. Here, Christ will make His second ''I am" statement, using the analogy of light, which is a common theme in Hebrew theology. This conversation will become more and more heated. Jesus' opponents become so enraged that they attempt to kill Him right then and there.

Expand

What is the Gospel?

Download the app: