John 8:42
New International Version
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.

New Living Translation
Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.

English Standard Version
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would have loved Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for not even have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

King James Bible
Jesus said unto them, 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.

New King James Version
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for I have not even come on My own, but He sent Me.

NASB 1995
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.

NASB 1977
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Amplified Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father [but He is not], you would love and recognize Me, for I came from God [out of His very presence] and have arrived here. For I have not even come on My own initiative [as self-appointed], but He [is the One who] sent Me.

Christian Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me.

American Standard Version
Jesus said unto them, 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.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. He sent me. I did not come on my own.

English Revised Version
Jesus said unto them, 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I'm here, and I came from God. I didn't come on my own. Instead, God sent me.

Good News Translation
Jesus said to them, "If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me.

International Standard Version
Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would've loved me, because I came from God and am here. I haven't come on my own accord, but he sent me.

Majority Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, ?If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

NET Bible
Jesus replied, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I have not come of myself, but he sent me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus said to them, 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.

Weymouth New Testament
"If God were your Father," said Jesus, "you would love me; for it is from God that I came and I am now here. I have not come of myself, but *He* sent me.

World English Bible
Therefore Jesus said to them, “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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Jesus then said to them, “If God were your father, you were loving Me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of Myself, but He sent Me;

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would have loved Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for not even have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus then said to them, '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;

Smith's Literal Translation
Then said Jesus to them, If God were your Father, ye had loved me: for I went forth from God, and came; for I have not come of myself, but he sent me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded, and came; for I came not of myself, but he sent me:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Jesus said to them: “If God were your father, certainly you would love me. For I proceeded and came from God. For I did not come from myself, but he sent me.

New American Bible
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.

New Revised Standard Version
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came from God; I did not come of my own accord, but he sent me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua said unto them, “If God were your father, you would have loved me, for I have proceeded from God and have not come of my own pleasure, but he has sent Me.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Jesus said to them: If God were your father, you would love me; for I came forth from God and have come hither; nor, indeed, did I come of myself, but he sent me.

Godbey New Testament
Jesus said to them; If God were your Father, you would love me: for I came out from God, and I return; for I have not spoken from myself, but He sent me.

Haweis New Testament
Then said Jesus unto them, If God was your Father, ye would have loved me: for I came out from God, and I am coming; neither indeed came I of myself, but he hath sent me.

Mace New Testament
Jesus said to them, if God were your father, ye would love me: for I was commissioned by God to come; I did not come of my self, but he sent me.

Weymouth New Testament
"If God were your Father," said Jesus, "you would love me; for it is from God that I came and I am now here. I have not come of myself, but *He* sent me.

Worrell New Testament
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, ye would love Me; for I came forth, and have come from, God; for neither have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Worsley New Testament
Jesus said unto them, If God were your father, ye would love me: for I came forth, and do come, from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Children of the Devil
41You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me. 43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.…

Cross References
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 5:23
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 7:28-29
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, / but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”

John 16:27-28
For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. / I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”

John 17:8
For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. / For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 6:29
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.”

John 12:49-50
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. / And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

1 John 4:9-10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. / And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Hebrews 1:1-2
On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. / But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

Matthew 11:27
All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

Luke 10:16
Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”


Treasury of Scripture

Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

If.

John 5:23
That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

John 15:23,24
He that hateth me hateth my Father also…

Malachi 1:6
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

for.

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 16:27,28
For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God…

John 17:8,25
For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me…

neither.

John 5:43
I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

John 7:28,29
Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not…

John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

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Accord Forth Initiative Jesus Love Proceeded
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.














Jesus said to them
This phrase indicates a direct communication from Jesus, emphasizing His role as a teacher and authority. In the context of the Gospel of John, Jesus often engages in dialogues that reveal deeper spiritual truths. The Greek verb "eipen" (said) underscores the authoritative and revelatory nature of His speech, as He addresses the religious leaders who are questioning His identity and authority.

If God were your Father
The conditional "if" introduces a hypothetical situation that challenges the spiritual status of Jesus' audience. The Greek word "pater" (Father) is central to understanding one's relationship with God. In Jewish tradition, God as Father signifies a covenant relationship, implying obedience and love. Jesus is questioning the authenticity of their claim to be God's children, suggesting that true sonship is evidenced by love for Him.

you would love Me
The Greek word for love here is "agapao," which denotes a selfless, unconditional love. Jesus is asserting that genuine love for God naturally results in love for Him, as He is the manifestation of God's love and truth. This love is not merely emotional but is demonstrated through acceptance and obedience to His teachings.

for I have come here from God
This phrase emphasizes Jesus' divine origin and mission. The Greek "ek tou Theou" (from God) highlights His pre-existence and the divine authority with which He speaks. Jesus is not merely a prophet or teacher; He is the incarnate Word, sent by God to reveal His will and purpose.

I have not come on My own
Here, Jesus underscores His submission to the Father's will. The Greek "ouk elēlutha ap' emautou" (not come on My own) indicates that His mission is not self-initiated but divinely ordained. This reflects the unity and harmony within the Trinity, where the Son willingly fulfills the Father's plan of salvation.

but He sent Me
The sending of Jesus by the Father is a central theme in the Gospel of John. The Greek "apesteilen" (sent) conveys the idea of being commissioned with authority. This divine sending underscores Jesus' role as the Messiah and Savior, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and revealing God's redemptive plan for humanity. The historical context of messianic expectations in first-century Judaism adds depth to this statement, as Jesus positions Himself as the fulfillment of those hopes.

(42) If God were your Father, ye would love me.--This follows because they would then be in a relationship of spiritual affinity to Him. God's children would bear the spiritual image of their Father, and would love Him who came from God, but they were seeking to kill Him (John 8:40).

I proceeded forth and came from God.--Better, am come, am here. His presence with them was the result of His proceeding from God. As the Son of God He had eternal fellowship with the Father. The Incarnation was not the mission of one whose existence was separate from that of God, but it was the mission of the Son who proceeded from the Father. (Comp. John 16:27 et seq.)

Neither came I of myself, but he sent me.--Literally, for not even of Myself am I come, but He sent Me; as opposed to the thought that His origin was distinct from the Father. His coming was not His own act, but was a mission from God to the world.

But if He is sent from God, if He is present with them from God, if He proceeded from the Father, it must be that all who are true children of God would recognise and love Him.

It is important to note here that in our Lord's own words there is an assertion of the oneness of nature and of will with that of the Father, and yet the distinction of person is maintained. He is come from God, but He proceeded from the divine essence. He proceeded forth, and yet He was sent.

Verse 42. - But Jesus will not allow them to claim the full privilege of sons of God. Said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would be loving me, not seeking to slay me. Seeing that you do not love me, God is not your Father in the sense in which you are boasting such relation to him. The reason is: For I came forth out (ἐκ) of God. This expression only occurs in one other passage (John 16:28), and there the texts vary between ἐκ ἀπὸ, and παρά. It points to the momentous and unique fact of his incarnation, as the projection from the very essence of God involved in the essence of his being. The Father is the eternal Source of Christ's Divine nature. There are two ether forms of expression used by our Lord. In John 13:3 and John 16:30 ἐξελθεῖν ἀπό is adopted, which describes rather the act of the incarnated One; and in John 16:27 and John 17:8 ἐξελθεῖν παρά, whereby is suggested the procession of Christ into the condition of fellowship with the eternal Father or that of being πρὸς τὸν Θεόν or εἰς τὸν κόλπον. By ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ he implies an even sublimer conception of the prenatal glory, and that, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews puts it, "he was the Effulgence of his glory, and the express Image of his substance." And I am come. I am here face to face with you. Meyer and others would make both verbs depend on ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ: but if we are right in the special meaning of the preposition, the force of it would be lost in the second clause. The ἐξῆλθον refers to his eternal procession from the very nature of God, and special indication of it when he took our human nature up into his own; and the ἤκω refers to his presence and appearance in their midst as a "Man who told them the truth." For neither have I come. The perfect tense here is used in contrast to the present ἥκω, to show that he has the whole past of his career as a divinely sent Messenger present in his consciousness. And he establishes the fact that he has proceeded from God by the dismission of every other alternative. I have not come from myself, as an act of self-determination; I have not come to do my own will, but the Father's. I have not come on any self-chosen, self-honouring path, with motives of self-interest; but in strict obedience to the Father's injunction - he sent me. You would have loved me, not hated me, you would have trusted me and rejoiced in me, and not sought to kill me, if God were your Father; for you would then have felt all through my career that that One Father, of whom you boast an intimate knowledge, was revealing himself as One near to you, close to you, in the bare fact of my presence among you.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

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

to them,
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

were
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Father,
Πατὴρ (Patēr)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

you would love
ἠγαπᾶτε (ēgapate)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

Me,
ἐμέ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

have come
ἐξῆλθον (exēlthon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

here
ἥκω (hēkō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2240: To have come, be present, have arrived. A primary verb; to arrive, i.e. Be present.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

God.
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

I have not come
ἐλήλυθα (elēlytha)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

on
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

My own,
ἐμαυτοῦ (emautou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1683: Genitive case compound of emou and autos; of myself so likewise the dative case emautoi em-ow-to', and accusative case emauton em-ow-ton'.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

He
ἐκεῖνός (ekeinos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

sent
ἀπέστειλεν (apesteilen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

Me.
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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