Passage

John 8.36

Book: John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. 35. And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever.

36. If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

I know that ye are Abraham's seed: yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. 38. I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. (John 8:34-38, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

34. Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35. A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever.

36. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38. I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.” (John 8:34-38, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. (John 8:34-38, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

34. Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin, 35. and the servant doth not remain in the house, to the age, the son doth remain, to the age;

36. if then the son may make you free, in reality ye shall be free.

'I have known that ye are seed of Abraham, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you; 38. I, that which I have seen with my Father do speak, and ye, therefore, that which ye have seen with your father, ye do.' (John 8:34-38, YLT)

See this page's graph and discover linked topics

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

G5207 - huios, huios (Strong's G5207). Also appears in: Matthew 1.1, Matthew 1.20, Matthew 1.21.

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.

Quoted in

Concepts:

Lexicon:

G1401 - doulos, via John 8.34-36