John 8:29-31

Context
8:29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,¹ because I always do those things that please him.” 8:30 While he was saying these things, many people² believed in him.

Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children

8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans³ who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching,⁴ you are really⁵ my disciples

[8:29] ¹tn That is, “he has not abandoned me.”

[8:30] ²tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity and smoothness in the translation.

[8:31] ³tn Grk “to the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (i.e., “Judeans”), the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9; also BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple and had believed his claim to be the Messiah, hence, “those Judeans who had believed him.” The term “Judeans” is preferred here to the more general “people” because the debate concerns descent from Abraham (v. 33).

[8:31] ⁴tn Grk “If you continue in my word.”

[8:31] ⁵tn Or “truly.”