John 8:31
New International Version
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

New Living Translation
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.

English Standard Version
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

Berean Standard Bible
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore Jesus was saying to the Jews having believed in Him, "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples.

King James Bible
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

New King James Version
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

New American Standard Bible
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples;

NASB 1995
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

NASB 1977
Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

Legacy Standard Bible
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples;

Amplified Bible
So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples.

American Standard Version
Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yeshua said to those Judeans who trusted in him, “If you will continue in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

Contemporary English Version
Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Jesus said to those Jews, who believed him: If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed.

English Revised Version
Jesus therefore said to those Jews which had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples.

Good News Translation
So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;

International Standard Version
So Jesus told those Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples.

Literal Standard Version
Jesus, therefore, said to the Jews who believed in Him, “If you may remain in My word, you are truly My disciples,

Majority Standard Bible
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

New American Bible
Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,

NET Bible
Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, "If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;

New Heart English Bible
Jesus therefore said to those Judeans who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed;

Weymouth New Testament
Jesus therefore said to those of the Jews who had now believed in Him, "As for you, if you hold fast to my teaching, then you are truly my disciples;

World English Bible
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus, therefore, said unto the Jews who believed in him, 'If ye may remain in my word, truly my disciples ye are, and ye shall know the truth,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Truth will Set You Free
30As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him. 31So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”…

Cross References
John 2:2
and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:8
This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

2 John 1:9
Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;

If.

John 6:66-71
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him…

John 15:4-9
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me…

1 Samuel 12:14
If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

my disciples.

John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 1:47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

John 6:55
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

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John 8
1. Jesus delivers the woman taken in adultery.
12. He declares himself the light of the world, and justifies his doctrine;
31. promises freedom to those who believe;
33. answers the Jews who boasted of Abraham;
48. answers their reviling, by showing his authority and dignity;
59. and slips away from those who would stone him.














(31) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him.--Better, to those Jews who had believed Him. The act of faith is mentioned in the previous verse. They are here placed among the believers, with an expression of contrast mixed with, perhaps, something of wonder--Jews and yet believers.

If ye continue in my word.--Or, If ye abide in My word. Comp. Note on John 15:7, where we have the opposite form of the thought, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you." See also for this idea of abiding, Notes on John 5:37-38. His word was the expression of the eternal truth of God, and He therefore was the one great Teacher. Every other must sit as a disciple at His feet, and continue in daily learning and in daily living to grasp the truth which, in that word and that word only, was revealed to man.

Here, as very frequently, part of the force of the sentence is expressed in the emphasis of the pronoun, "If ye continue in My word." "Ye, on your part, ye who now believe, but have not the courage to rank yourselves openly among My disciples."

Then are ye my disciples indeed.--The insertion of "then" does not improve the rendering--"If ye continue in My word, ye are My disciples indeed." The words imply that He who reads the heart has no confidence in this momentary conviction, which will not stand the test of true discipleship, and all that this includes. (Comp. Notes on John 2:23-25; John 6:66.) . . .

Verses 31-59 describe a further conversation, not with the same audience. The words record a vivid conflict between the Lord and the Jews who believed him, who accepted the Messianic claims, but persisted in interpreting them, not by his word, but by their own ideas of the theocratic kingdom, by their privileges as children of Abraham, by their national animosity to their nearest neighbours the Samaritans, by their inability to press behind the veil of his humanity to his Divine nature. Their faith was of the most imperfect kind; but such as it was, it was made manifest to the observation of the apostle, and this throws light upon the fact that, among the many who believed on him, or rather alongside of these, there was a certain section of "the Jews," of the chief rulers and rabbis, who made a definite movement towards him. This doubtless excited the intense enthusiasm of the disciples, who might at once hope and almost expect that Jesus would with open arms accept their homage. But he at once puts this faith of theirs - perhaps ignorantly expressed - to a proof absolutely necessary for the salvation of his hearers. Verses 31, 32. -

(4) The test Christ supplied to those who admitted his testimony - true discipleship and freedom. Jesus therefore said to the Jews who had believed him - or, had become believing, and were now waiting for some special sign that their belief of his words was to be immediately rewarded by some closer conformity between his next step and their own prepossessions - If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples. Short of making the word of Jesus the resting place for both heart and intellect, full discipleship would be impossible. The true disciple receives and continues in the word of his Master. The expression expands and illustrates the difference between believing Christ to speak the truth, and believing in him. Many ancient Jews and modern Christians believe so much of Christ's word as is verified by their moral consciousness, and dispute or dispose of the rest as Aberglaube. The genuine disciple continues, abides, in the word of him who is the incarnate Word, yielding to it entire acquiescence, as the absolute reality of things, as the truth about God and man. He adds, And ye shall come fully to know the truth; i.e. to realize in the very depths of your being the trustworthy character of my word. "The Truth" (see John 14:6) is one of the distinguishing names which Jesus takes to himself. He is the Truth, and "full of grace and truth." So far this statement corresponds with John 7:16, 17. The "Jews" who had believed him would not feel the fiery ordeal and touch of flame applied to the sensitive skin of their pride and self-importance; but when he added, And the truth shall emancipate you, the case was altered. Truth only can set the mind free from its bondage under ignorance and prejudice and evil habit. If the Light of the world shines into the dark places of the heart, the chains erewhile misunderstood will not only become visible, but will be broken. Godet beautifully says that "the empire of sin in a human heart is based upon an illusion, a fascination. Let truth shine, and the spell is broken, the will is disgusted with that which seduced it - 'the bird escapes from the net of the fowler.'" But this proffer of freedom to his disciples by continuing in his word was too startling a suggestion for their nascent and imperfect faith. He had told them that without faith in him they would die in their sins (ver. 24); now he assures them that, unless they abide steadfastly in his word, they will not escape from a bondage manifest enough to his eye, if not to theirs. This brings from them an angry response.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

[He]
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

said
Ἔλεγεν (Elegen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαίους (Ioudaious)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

[who] had believed
πεπιστευκότας (pepisteukotas)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

Him,
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“If
Ἐὰν (Ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

you
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

continue
μείνητε (meinēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

My
ἐμῷ (emō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1699: My, mine. From the oblique cases of ego; my.

word,
λόγῳ (logō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

you are
ἐστε (este)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

truly
ἀληθῶς (alēthōs)
Adverb
Strong's 230: Truly, really, certainly, surely. Adverb from alethes; truly.

My
μού (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

disciples.
μαθηταί (mathētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.


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NT Gospels: John 8:31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews who (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 8:30
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