8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans ¹  who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, ²  you are really ³  my disciples 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ⁴  8:33 “We are descendants ⁵  of Abraham,” they replied, ⁶  “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ⁷  ‘You will become free’?” 8:34 Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ⁸  everyone who practices ⁹  sin is a slave ¹⁰  of sin. 8:35 The slave does not remain in the family ¹¹  forever, but the son remains forever. ¹²  8:36 So if the son ¹³  sets you free, you will be really free. 8:37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁴  But you want ¹⁵  to kill me, because my teaching ¹⁶  makes no progress among you. ¹⁷  8:38 I am telling you the things I have seen while with the ¹⁸  Father; ¹⁹  as for you, ²⁰  practice the things you have heard from the ²¹  Father!”

8:39 They answered him, ²²  “Abraham is our father!” ²³  Jesus replied, ²⁴  “If you are ²⁵  Abraham’s children, you would be doing ²⁶  the deeds of Abraham. 8:40 But now you are trying ²⁷  to kill me, a man who has told you ²⁸  the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! ²⁹  8:41 You people ³⁰  are doing the deeds of your father.”

Then ³¹  they said to Jesus, ³²  “We were not born as a result of immorality! ³³  We have only one Father, God himself.” 8:42 Jesus replied, ³⁴  “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. ³⁵  I ³⁶  have not come on my own initiative, ³⁷  but he ³⁸  sent me. 8:43 Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept ³⁹  my teaching. ⁴⁰  8:44 You people ⁴¹  are from ⁴²  your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. ⁴³  He ⁴⁴  was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, ⁴⁵  because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, ⁴⁶  he speaks according to his own nature, ⁴⁷  because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁸  8:45 But because I am telling you ⁴⁹  the truth, you do not believe me. 8:46 Who among you can prove me guilty ⁵⁰  of any sin? ⁵¹  If I am telling you ⁵²  the truth, why don’t you believe me? 8:47 The one who belongs to ⁵³  God listens and responds ⁵⁴  to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, ⁵⁵  because you don’t belong to God.” ⁵⁶ 

8:48 The Judeans ⁵⁷  replied, ⁵⁸  “Aren’t we correct in saying ⁵⁹  that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?” ⁶⁰  8:49 Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, ⁶¹  but I honor my Father – and yet ⁶²  you dishonor me. 8:50 I am not trying to get ⁶³  praise for myself. ⁶⁴  There is one who demands ⁶⁵  it, and he also judges. ⁶⁶  8:51 I tell you the solemn truth, ⁶⁷  if anyone obeys ⁶⁸  my teaching, ⁶⁹  he will never see death.” ⁷⁰ 

8:52 Then ⁷¹  the Judeans ⁷²  responded, ⁷³  “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! ⁷⁴  Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet ⁷⁵  you say, ‘If anyone obeys ⁷⁶  my teaching, ⁷⁷  he will never experience ⁷⁸  death.’ ⁷⁹  8:53 You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? ⁸⁰  And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” 8:54 Jesus replied, ⁸¹  “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. ⁸²  The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people ⁸³  say, ‘He is our God.’ 8:55 Yet ⁸⁴  you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, ⁸⁵  I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey ⁸⁶  his teaching. ⁸⁷  8:56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed ⁸⁸  to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” ⁸⁹ 

8:57 Then the Judeans ⁹⁰  replied, ⁹¹  “You are not yet fifty years old! ⁹²  Have ⁹³  you seen Abraham?” 8:58 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ⁹⁴  before Abraham came into existence, ⁹⁵  I am!” ⁹⁶  8:59 Then they picked up ⁹⁷  stones to throw at him, ⁹⁸  but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area. ⁹⁹