And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Parallel translations
- WEB A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever.
- BSB A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
- NKJV And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
- NASB Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
- NLT A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.
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
A slave has no permanent place in the household, but a son belongs forever. Jesus contrasts the insecure standing of a slave with the secure standing of a son.
Overview
Using a household image, Jesus distinguishes between slaves of sin and sons who abide permanently. The point anticipates that only through the Son can one gain the lasting status of belonging to God's family. It hints at the gospel privilege of adoption, whereby believers are made sons and daughters who remain forever.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Gal 4:4–7But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
- Luke 15:31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
- Gen 21:10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
- Rom 8:15–17For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
- Gal 4:30–31Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
- Ezek 46:17But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.
- Heb 3:5–6And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
- 1 Pet 1:2–5Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
- John 14:19–20Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
- Matt 21:41–43They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
- Rom 8:29–30For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
- Col 3:3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
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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 8:35 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.