Devine Scripture

John 8:21

What does John 8:21 mean?

A plain-English look at John 8:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 8:21 means

Jesus warns, “I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin; whither I go, ye cannot come.” He speaks of His return to the Father after His mission, and of a tragic outcome for those who persist in unbelief—they will die under the guilt of sin. Seeking Him later, perhaps in crisis or after His departure, will not avail without faith. Heaven is closed to those who reject the Son. The statement is both solemn and merciful: it is a clear call to repent now, while He is present as Savior, before the door closes in judgment.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Then he said to them again, I am going away and you will be looking for me, but death will overtake you in your sins. It is not possible for you to come where I am going.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

therefore said Jesus again to them, `I go away, and ye will seek me, and in your sin ye shall die; whither I go away, ye are not able to come.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Again therefore Jesus said to them: I go: and you shall seek me. And you shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot come.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

He said therefore again to them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin; where I go ye cannot come.

Context

This verse follows public teaching about witness and the Father. It shifts from legal discourse to eschatological warning. The leaders will misunderstand and mock, thinking of suicide, but Jesus is speaking of heavenly departure and their spiritual unfitness to follow. This warning paves the way for His next assertions about origin—He is from above—and the necessity of believing “that I am he” to avoid dying in sins. The tone intensifies: the debate now concerns life and death, heaven and hell, not mere procedural disputes.

v.20These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.

v.21This passage

v.22The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Psalms 73:18

    Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.

  • John 7:34

    Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come.

  • John 12:33

    But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.

  • Job 20:11

    His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.

  • 2 Kings 2:16

    And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:17

    and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

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