Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
- BSB “I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
- NKJV Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
- NASB Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
- NLT “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me.
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
Jesus denies having a demon and affirms that he honors the Father while they dishonor him. He answers slander with a calm appeal to his obedience.
Overview
Rather than retaliate, Jesus rebuts the charge and points to his consistent honoring of the Father. Their dishonoring of him is, by extension, dishonoring of the One who sent him. The verse shows Christ's composure under accusation and reinforces that how people treat the Son reflects their stance toward the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
- John 13:31–32Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
- Matt 3:15–17And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
- John 17:4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
- John 14:13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- Phil 2:6–11Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
- John 11:4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
- Isa 49:3And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
- John 8:29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
- Prov 26:4–5Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
- John 12:28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
- Isa 42:21The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 8:49 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.