# John 10.38

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 36. <span class="rl-speech">say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.</span>
>
> **38. <span class="rl-speech">But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.</span>**
>
> 39. They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand. 40. And he went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was at the first baptizing; and there he abode. (John 10:36-40, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 36. <span class="rl-speech">do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.</span>
>
> **38. <span class="rl-speech">But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”</span>**
>
> 39. They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand. 40. He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and there he stayed. (John 10:36-40, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 36. <span class="rl-speech">Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.</span>
>
> **38. <span class="rl-speech">But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.</span>**
>
> 39. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 40. And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. (John 10:36-40, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 36. <span class="rl-speech">of him whom the Father did sanctify, and send to the world, do ye say, Thou speakest evil, because I said, Son of God I am?</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me;</span>
>
> **38. <span class="rl-speech">and if I do, even if me ye may not believe, the works believe, that ye may know and may believe that in me [is] the Father, and I in Him.'</span>**
>
> 39. Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand, 40. and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there, (John 10:36-40, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G1097 - ginosko](/codex/g1097-ginosko/), *ginosko* (Strong's G1097). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Mark 4.11-12](/codex/mark-4-11-12/), [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/).
- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G4100 - pisteuo](/codex/g4100-pisteuo/), *pisteuo* (Strong's G4100). Also appears in: [Matthew 18.6](/codex/matthew-18-6/), [Mark 15](/codex/mark-15/), [Mark 16.16-18](/codex/mark-16-16-18/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Faith](/codex/h0530-emunah/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 10](/codex/john-10/)
- [Old Testament Witness to the Deity of Christ](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 10.30-39](/codex/john-10-30-39/)

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