# John 8.16

<!-- 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/))
> 14. Jesus answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.</span>**
>
> 17. <span class="rl-speech">Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.</span> (John 8:14-18, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 14. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">“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.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.</span>**
>
> 17. <span class="rl-speech">It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”</span> (John 8:14-18, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 14. Jesus answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.</span>**
>
> 17. <span class="rl-speech">It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.</span> (John 8:14-18, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 14. Jesus answered and said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'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.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">'Ye according to the flesh do judge; I do not judge any one,</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">and even if I do judge my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me;</span>**
>
> 17. <span class="rl-speech">and also in your law it hath been written, that the testimony of two men are true;</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I am [one] who is testifying of myself, and the Father who sent me doth testify of me.'</span> (John 8:14-18, 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

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi* (Strong's G1510). Also appears in: [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/), [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/), [Matthew 18.20](/codex/matthew-18-20/).
- [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/), *krisis* (Strong's G2920). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.21-22](/codex/matthew-5-21-22/), [Matthew 23](/codex/matthew-23/), [Mark 3.20-30](/codex/mark-3-20-30/).
- [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/).

## 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:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 8.14-19](/codex/john-8-14-19/)

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