The Truth Will Set You Free

31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How then can yoʋ say, ‘You will be set free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 The slave does not abide in the house forever; the son abides forever. 36 So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you are seeking to kill me because your hearts have no room for my word. 38 I speak of what I have seen with [fn]my Father; so you also [fn]are doing what you have [fn]seen with your father.”

39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you [fn]were children of Abraham, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do such a thing. 41 You are doing the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot bear to accept my word. 44 You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks lies, he speaks from his own character, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is because you do not belong to God.”