ris3n's Apologetics Codex

John 8.16-18

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: John chapter: 8 verses: "16-18" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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John 8.16-18

Book: John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go. 15. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man."

"16. Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17. Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true. 18. I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."

"19. They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also. 20. These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come." (John 8:14-20, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"14. Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going. 15. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one."

"16. Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17. It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. 18. I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”"

"19. They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20. Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come." (John 8:14-20, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man."

"16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."

"19. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." (John 8:14-20, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"14. Jesus answered and said to them, 'And if I testify of myself, my testimony is true, because I have known whence I came, and whither I go, and ye, ye have not known whence I come, or whither I go. 15. 'Ye according to the flesh do judge; I do not judge any one,"

"16. and even if I do judge my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me; 17. and also in your law it hath been written, that the testimony of two men are true; 18. I am [one] who is testifying of myself, and the Father who sent me doth testify of me.'"

"19. They said, therefore, to him, 'Where is thy father?' Jesus answered, 'Ye have neither known me nor my Father: if me ye had known, my Father also ye had known.' 20. These sayings spake Jesus in the treasury, teaching in the temple, and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come;" (John 8:14-20, 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

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • 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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.