John 8:42
What does John 8:42 mean?
A plain-English look at John 8:42 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 8:42 means
Jesus answers that if God were truly their Father, they would love Him, because He came forth from God and was sent by Him. Love for the Father and love for the Son are inseparable. To reject Jesus is to deny the Father’s mission and heart. Jesus did not come on His own; He is the authorized envoy. Their lack of love reveals that their claim is false. True children of God recognize and welcome the One the Father sends. The test is relational, not merely doctrinal: affection and reception of the Son prove divine kinship.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Jesus said to them, If God was your Father you would have love for me, because it was from God I came and am here. I did not come of myself, but he sent me.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Jesus then said to them, `If God were your father, ye were loving me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of myself, but He sent me;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded and came. For I came not of myself: but he sent me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Jesus said to them, IfGod were your father ye would have loved me, for I came forth fromGod and am come [from him]; for neither am I come of myself, but he has sent me.
Context
This verse responds directly to their claim that God is their Father, tying fatherhood to love for Jesus. It sets up the next question: why do they not understand His speech? The answer will be that they cannot hear His word, exposing a deeper incapacity grounded in their true spiritual lineage. The flow moves from evidence (lack of love) to cause (inability to hear) to identification (their father is the devil). Each step tightens the net, preparing for Jesus’ hardest words in the chapter.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 5:23
that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.
- Revelation 22:1
And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
- John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.
- John 15:23
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
- 1 John 4:14
And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Maranatha.
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