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The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”
John 8:13 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
  • KJV The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
  • BSB So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
  • ESV So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
  • NKJV The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
  • NASB So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The Pharisees object that Jesus testifies about Himself, so His testimony is not valid. They challenge His claim on legal grounds.

Overview

The Pharisees apply the legal principle that a claim needs corroborating witnesses to dismiss Jesus' self-testimony. Their objection sets up Jesus' explanation that His witness is confirmed by the Father. The exchange highlights their refusal to recognize the divine authority behind His words.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 1

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 8:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 8:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.