Passage

John 8.19

Book: John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"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. 21. He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 8:17-21, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"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. 21. Jesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”" (John 8:17-21, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. 21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 8:17-21, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"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; 21. therefore said Jesus again to them, 'I go away, and ye will seek me, and in your sin ye shall die; whither I go away, ye are not able to come.'" (John 8:17-21, 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

G2424 - Iesous, Iesous (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: Matthew 1.1, Matthew 1.16, Matthew 1.18.
G3962 - pater, pater (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: Matthew 5.48, Matthew 6.25-26, 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 (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.