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John 8:39

They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

KJV

ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐποιεῖτε·

Greek NT

Responderunt, et dixerunt ei : Pater noster Abraham est. Dicit eis Jesus : Si filii Abrahæ estis, opera Abrahæ facite.

Vulgate

They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

ASV

They answered and said to him: Abraham is our father. Jesus saith them: If you be the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

14 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
εἰ
ei
conditional · 491×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
πατήρ
pater
noun · 412×
ποιέω
poieo
verb · 569×
τέκνον
teknon
noun · 99×
ἀποκρίνομαι
apokrinomai
verb · 233×
Ἀβραάμ
abraam
noun · 73×
ἔργον
ergon
noun · 169×
ἡμεῖς
emeis
pronoun · 862×
Ἰησοῦς
iesous
noun · 908×
o
article · 19778×

Textual variants

2 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: ἐστε | WH/Treg/NA: ἐστε | NIV/RP: ἦτε
  • ἐστεSBLGNT
  • ἐστεWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Nestle-Aland 27
  • ἦτεReader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
minor
SBLGNT: ἐποιεῖτε | Treg/NIV/RP: ἐποιεῖτε | WH: ποιεῖτε
  • ἐποιεῖτεSBLGNT
  • ἐποιεῖτεTregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
  • ποιεῖτεWestcott-Hort
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

6 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

2. Knowing therefore these things, let us neither pride ourselves on children that are of good report, unless we have their virtue; nor upon noble fathers, unless we be like them in disposition. For it is possible, both that he who begot a man should not be his father, and that he who did not beget him should be. Therefore in another place also, when some woman had said, Blesse…
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210219.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
1. The Work is Taken Up After a Violent Interruption, Which Has Driven the Writer from Alexandria. He Addresses Himself to It Again, with Thanks for His Deliverance, and Prayer for Guidance. When a house is being built which is to be made as strong as possible, the building takes place in fine weather and in calm, so that nothing may hinder the structure from acquiring the need…

Cross-references

  • Ezek 33:5 — He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
  • Ezek 33:24 — Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
  • Gal 2:15 — We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
  • Gal 3:7 — Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
  • Gal 3:7 — Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
  • Gal 3:29 — And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
  • Jas 2:21 — Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
  • Jas 2:22 — Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
  • John 1:47 — Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
  • John 8:33 — They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
  • John 8:37 — I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
  • John 8:56 — Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
  • Matt 3:9 — And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
  • Matt 3:9 — And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
  • Matt 5:45 — That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
  • Prov 30:15 — The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
  • Rom 2:28 — For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
  • Rom 4:12 — And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
  • Rom 4:12 — And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
  • Rom 4:16 — Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who
  • Rom 9:7 — Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.