John 8:51 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

NIV: Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death."

NASB: Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.'

CSB: Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

NLT: I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!'

KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

NKJV: Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

This verse once again uses an Aramaic word which has survived into Hebrew, Greek, and even English: amēn. Used at the end of a statement, this word is a declaration of truth or of a hope that what has just been said will be fulfilled. It suggests that the speaker agrees with the former words. However, used at the beginning of a statement, it implies that what follows is absolute, original, first-hand truth. When Jesus says "Amēn, amēn," translated as "truly, truly," He is introducing a crucial fact.

Jesus has already pointed out that the men attacking Him have no interest in the message of God. He has used various expressions to convey this: they do not believe (John 8:46), they "do not hear" (John 8:47), His "word finds no place in" them (John 8:37), they "cannot bear to hear [His] word" (John 8:43). This rejection proves that these people "walk in darkness" (John 8:12). They have rejected the one and only source of spiritual truth, and so they will die in their sins (John 8:21) instead of finding forgiveness (John 3:36).

Jesus' words here are in contrast to those who do not "hear," "walk," or "believe" according to His message. Those who "keep His word," in this context, are those who express saving faith in God's Son (John 3:16–18). Those who reject Christ, however, remain condemned to spiritual death (John 3:18, 36).

Once again, as shown in the next verse, Jesus' opponents will misunderstand His message.

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!''

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.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. There He once again conflicts with local religious authorities. Previously, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water (John 7:37–38). That built on the festival's ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will do something similar with the imagery of lights also related to festival traditions. This demonstrates Jesus' willingness to be direct, even aggressive, with His critics. The next few chapters will complete Jesus' public ministry, as He prepares for His impending death.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.