John 8:14-16

8:14 Jesus answered, ¹  “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people ²  do not know where I came from or where I am going. ³  8:15 You people ⁴  judge by outward appearances; ⁵  I do not judge anyone. ⁶  8:16 But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, ⁷  because I am not alone when I judge, ⁸  but I and the Father who sent me do so together. ⁹ 

[8:14]  ¹ tn Grk “Jesus answered and said to them.”

[8:14]  ² tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) and verb (“do not know”) in Greek are plural.

[8:14]  ³ sn You people do not know where I came from or where I am going. The ignorance of the religious authorities regarding Jesus’ origin works on two levels at once: First, they thought Jesus came from Galilee (although he really came from Bethlehem in Judea) and second, they did not know that he came from heaven (from the Father), and this is where he would return. See further John 7:52.

[8:15]  ⁴ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun and verb (“judge”) in Greek are plural.

[8:15]  ⁵ tn Or “judge according to external things”; Grk “according to the flesh.” These translations are given by BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 5.

[8:15]  ⁶ sn What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement “I do not judge anyone”? It is clear that Jesus did judge (even in the next verse). The point is that he didn’t practice the same kind of judgment that the Pharisees did. Their kind of judgment was condemnatory. They tried to condemn people. Jesus did not come to judge the world, but to save it (3:17). Nevertheless, and not contradictory to this, the coming of Jesus did bring judgment, because it forced people to make a choice. Would they accept Jesus or reject him? Would they come to the light or shrink back into the darkness? As they responded, so were they judged – just as 3:19-21 previously stated. One’s response to Jesus determines one’s eternal destiny.

[8:16]  ⁷ tn Grk “my judgment is true.”

[8:16]  ⁸ tn The phrase “when I judge” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.

[8:16]  ⁹ tn The phrase “do so together” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.