8:21 Then Jesus 6 said to them again, 7 “I am going away, and you will look for me 8 but will die in your sin. 9 Where I am going you cannot come.” 8:22 So the Jewish leaders 10 began to say, 11 “Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’” 8:23 Jesus replied, 12 “You people 13 are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world. 8:24 Thus I told you 14 that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, 15 you will die in your sins.”
8:25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, 16 “What I have told you from the beginning. 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge 17 about you, but the Father 18 who sent me is truthful, 19 and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world.” 20 8:27 (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.) 21
8:28 Then Jesus said, 22 “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, 23 and I do nothing on my own initiative, 24 but I speak just what the Father taught me. 25 8:29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, 26 because I always do those things that please him.” 8:30 While he was saying these things, many people 27 believed in him.
8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans 28 who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, 29 you are really 30 my disciples 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 31 8:33 “We are descendants 32 of Abraham,” they replied, 33 “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, 34 ‘You will become free’?” 8:34 Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, 35 everyone who practices 36 sin is a slave 37 of sin. 8:35 The slave does not remain in the family 38 forever, but the son remains forever. 39 8:36 So if the son 40 sets you free, you will be really free. 8:37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. 41 But you want 42 to kill me, because my teaching 43 makes no progress among you. 44 8:38 I am telling you the things I have seen while with the 45 Father; 46 as for you, 47 practice the things you have heard from the 48 Father!”
8:39 They answered him, 49 “Abraham is our father!” 50 Jesus replied, 51 “If you are 52 Abraham’s children, you would be doing 53 the deeds of Abraham. 8:40 But now you are trying 54 to kill me, a man who has told you 55 the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! 56 8:41 You people 57 are doing the deeds of your father.”
Then 58 they said to Jesus, 59 “We were not born as a result of immorality! 60 We have only one Father, God himself.” 8:42 Jesus replied, 61 “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. 62 I 63 have not come on my own initiative, 64 but he 65 sent me. 8:43 Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept 66 my teaching. 67 8:44 You people 68 are from 69 your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. 70 He 71 was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, 72 because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, 73 he speaks according to his own nature, 74 because he is a liar and the father of lies. 75 8:45 But because I am telling you 76 the truth, you do not believe me. 8:46 Who among you can prove me guilty 77 of any sin? 78 If I am telling you 79 the truth, why don’t you believe me? 8:47 The one who belongs to 80 God listens and responds 81 to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, 82 because you don’t belong to God.” 83
8:48 The Judeans 84 replied, 85 “Aren’t we correct in saying 86 that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?” 87 8:49 Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, 88 but I honor my Father – and yet 89 you dishonor me. 8:50 I am not trying to get 90 praise for myself. 91 There is one who demands 92 it, and he also judges. 93 8:51 I tell you the solemn truth, 94 if anyone obeys 95 my teaching, 96 he will never see death.” 97
8:52 Then 98 the Judeans 99 responded, 100 “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! 101 Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet 102 you say, ‘If anyone obeys 103 my teaching, 104 he will never experience 105 death.’ 106 8:53 You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? 107 And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” 8:54 Jesus replied, 108 “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. 109 The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people 110 say, ‘He is our God.’ 8:55 Yet 111 you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, 112 I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey 113 his teaching. 114 8:56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed 115 to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” 116
8:57 Then the Judeans 117 replied, 118 “You are not yet fifty years old! 119 Have 120 you seen Abraham?” 8:58 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, 121 before Abraham came into existence, 122 I am!” 123 8:59 Then they picked up 124 stones to throw at him, 125 but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area. 126