# John 8.56

<!-- 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/))
> 54. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God;</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word.</span>
>
> **56. <span class="rl-speech">Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.</span>**
>
> 57. The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58. Jesus said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am.</span> (John 8:54-58, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 54. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.</span>
>
> **56. <span class="rl-speech">Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”</span>**
>
> 57. The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58. Jesus said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM. ”</span> (John 8:54-58, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 54. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.</span>
>
> **56. <span class="rl-speech">Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.</span>**
>
> 57. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58. Jesus said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.</span> (John 8:54-58, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 54. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who is glorifying me, of whom ye say that He is your God;</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">and ye have not known Him, and I have known Him, and if I say that I have not known Him, I shall be like you, speaking falsely; but I have known Him, and His word I keep;</span>
>
> **56. <span class="rl-speech">Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice.'</span>**
>
> 57. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews, therefore, said unto him, 'Thou art not yet fifty years old, and Abraham hast thou seen?'</span> 58. Jesus said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham's coming, I am;'</span> (John 8:54-58, 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

- [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

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [OT vs NT God Objection Defeater](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection-defeater/), via [John 8.56-58](/codex/john-8-56-58/)

**Concepts:**

- [Atheism](/codex/atheism/), via [John 8.56-58](/codex/john-8-56-58/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 8](/codex/john-8/)
- [OT vs NT God Objection](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection/), via [John 8.56-58](/codex/john-8-56-58/)
- [Salvation of the Unevangelized](/codex/salvation-of-the-unevangelized/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), via [John 8.56-59](/codex/john-8-56-59/)

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