John 8:31-47

New International Version

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(A) you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(B)

³³They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^(D) ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^(E) ³⁶So if the Son sets you free,^(F) you will be free indeed. ³⁷I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(G) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[a]”^(I)

³⁹“Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(J) said Jesus, “then you would^[b] do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^(K) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^(L) Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹You are doing the works of your own father.”^(M)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”^(N)

⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(O) for I have come here from God.^(P) I have not come on my own;^(Q) God sent me.^(R) ⁴³Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴You belong to your father, the devil,^(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(T) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^(U) ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth,^(V) you do not believe me! ⁴⁶Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(W) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

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Footnotes

John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then

Job 6

New International Version

Job

6 Then Job replied:

²“If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!^(A)
³It would surely outweigh the sand^(B) of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.^(C)
⁴The arrows^(D) of the Almighty^(E) are in me,^(F)
    my spirit drinks^(G) in their poison;^(H)
    God’s terrors^(I) are marshaled against me.^(J)
⁵Does a wild donkey^(K) bray^(L) when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?^(M)
⁶Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow^[a]?^(N)
⁷I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.^(O)

⁸“Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant what I hope for,^(P)
⁹that God would be willing to crush^(Q) me,
    to let loose his hand and cut off my life!^(R)
¹⁰Then I would still have this consolation^(S)—
    my joy in unrelenting pain^(T)—
    that I had not denied the words^(U) of the Holy One.^(V)

¹¹“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
    What prospects, that I should be patient?^(W)
¹²Do I have the strength of stone?
    Is my flesh bronze?^(X)
¹³Do I have any power to help myself,^(Y)
    now that success has been driven from me?

¹⁴“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend^(Z)
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.^(AA)
¹⁵But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,^(AB)
    as the streams that overflow
¹⁶when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,^(AC)
¹⁷but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat^(AD) vanish from their channels.
¹⁸Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
¹⁹The caravans of Tema^(AE) look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba^(AF) look in hope.
²⁰They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.^(AG)
²¹Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.^(AH)
²²Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom^(AI) for me from your wealth,^(AJ)
²³deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?^(AK)

²⁴“Teach me, and I will be quiet;^(AL)
    show me where I have been wrong.^(AM)
²⁵How painful are honest words!^(AN)
    But what do your arguments prove?
²⁶Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?^(AO)
²⁷You would even cast lots^(AP) for the fatherless^(AQ)
    and barter away your friend.

²⁸“But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?^(AR)
²⁹Relent, do not be unjust;^(AS)
    reconsider, for my integrity^(AT) is at stake.^[b]^(AU)
³⁰Is there any wickedness on my lips?^(AV)
    Can my mouth not discern^(AW) malice?