“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM. ”
- KJV Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
- NKJV Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
- NASB Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
- NLT Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!”
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 declares, "Before Abraham came into existence, I AM," claiming eternal existence and the divine name. It is one of the clearest assertions of his deity.
Overview
With a solemn affirmation, Jesus claims to exist eternally and applies to himself the divine name "I AM" from Exodus 3:14. He does not say "I was" but "I am," asserting timeless, divine being. This is a cornerstone text for the deity of Christ, revealing that the eternal God had come in the flesh.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Exod 3:14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
- Col 1:17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
- John 17:5And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
- John 1:1–2In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Isa 44:6Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
- John 17:24Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
- Rev 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
- Heb 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Isa 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isa 48:12Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
- Rev 2:8To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
- Rev 1:17–18When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
- Heb 1:10–12And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
- Mic 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
- Isa 43:13Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Isa 46:9Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.
- Isa 44:8Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
- Prov 8:22–30The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
- John 8:51Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”
- John 8:34Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
- Rev 1:11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
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 8:58 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.