# John 8.41

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 39. They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham.</span>
>
> **41. Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.**
>
> 42. Jesus said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.</span> 43. <span class="rl-speech">Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.</span> (John 8:39-43, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 39. They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.</span>
>
> **41. You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”**
>
> 42. Therefore Jesus said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.</span> 43. <span class="rl-speech">Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.</span> (John 8:39-43, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.</span>
>
> **41. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.**
>
> 42. Jesus said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.</span> 43. <span class="rl-speech">Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.</span> (John 8:39-43, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 39. They answered and said to him, 'Our father is Abraham;' Jesus saith to them, <span class="rl-speech">'If children of Abraham ye were, the works of Abraham ye were doing;</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">and now, ye seek to kill me, a man who hath spoken to you the truth I heard from God; this Abraham did not;</span>
>
> **41. ye do the works of your father.' They said, therefore, to him, 'We of whoredom have not been born; one Father we have, God;'**
>
> 42. Jesus then said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'If God were your father, ye were loving me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of myself, but He sent me;</span> 43. <span class="rl-speech">wherefore do ye not know my speech? because ye are not able to hear my word.</span> (John 8:39-43, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 8](/codex/john-8/)
- [Virgin Birth](/codex/virgin-birth/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## 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.