YHN 8:33 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Ἀπεκρίθησαν
2. apokrinō
3. They answered
4. -
5. 6110
6. VIAP3··P
7. ˱they˲ answered
8. ˱they˲ answered
9. S
10. Y33
11. 70216
1. πρός
2. pros
3. to
4. -
5. 43140
6. P·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70217
1. αὐτόν
2. autos
3. him
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3AMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y33; R70187; Person=Jesus
11. 70218
1. αὐτῷ
2. autos
3. -
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3DMS
7. ˱to˲ him
8. ˱to˲ him
9. -
10. -
11. 70219
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 70220
1. εἶπαν
2. legō
3. -
4. -
5. 30040
6. VIAA3··P
7. said
8. said
9. -
10. -
11. 70221
1. σπέρμα
2. sperma
3. seed
4. -
5. 46900
6. N····NNS
7. seed
8. seed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70222
1. Ἀβραάμ
2. abraam
3. of Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
4. -
5. 110
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
8. ˱of˲ Abraham
9. U
10. Person=Abraham; Y33
11. 70223
1. Ἐσμέν
2. eimi
3. We are
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA1··P
7. ˱we˲ are
8. ˱we˲ are
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70224
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. 38\x*But and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70225
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. -
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. -
11. 70226
1. οὐδενί
2. oudeis
3. to no one
4. anyone
5. 37620
6. R····DMS
7. ˱to˲ no_one
8. ˱to˲ no_one
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70227
1. δεδουλεύκαμεν
2. douleuō
3. we have served
4. -
5. 13980
6. VIEA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓have˒ served
8. ˱we˲ ˓have˒ served
9. -
10. Y33; R70192
11. 70228
1. οὐδενί
2. oudeis
3. -
4. -
5. 37620
6. R····DMS
7. no_one
8. no_one
9. -
10. -
11. 70229
1. πώποτε
2. pōpote
3. ever
4. -
5. 44550
6. D·······
7. ever
8. ever
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70230
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 70231
1. πῶς
2. pōs
3. how
4. -
5. 44590
6. D·······
7. how
8. how
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70232
1. σύ
2. su
3. you
4. you
5. 47710
6. R···2N·S
7. you
8. you
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70233
1. σοί
2. su
3. -
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2D·S
7. ˱to˲ you
8. ˱to˲ you
9. -
10. -
11. 70234
1. λέγεις
2. legō
3. are saying
4. -
5. 30040
6. VIPA2··S
7. ˓are˒ saying
8. ˓are˒ saying
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70235
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70236
1. ἐλευθεροῖ
2. eleutheros
3. free
4. -
5. 16580
6. S····NMP
7. free
8. free
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70237
1. Γενήσεσθε
2. ginomai
3. You all will be becoming
4. -
5. 10960
6. VIFM2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓will_be˒ becoming
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓will_be˒ becoming
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70238

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:31–38: Jesus taught truth that frees people

In this section Jesus said that if his believers continued in his word, they would be true disciples. They would know the truth and the truth would make them free. But some people argued that they were never slaves. To them, Jesus said that those who sin are slaves of sin, but the Son could make them free. However, he said that they wanted to kill him because they rejected what he said.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The truth sets people free

Sin makes people slaves, but the Son makes them free

Paragraph 8:31–33

Jesus spoke to those who said that they believed in him. He said that to follow and obey him was the way to freedom. Some who heard him rejected this, saying that as the children of Abraham they were already free.

8:33a

“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered.

They answered him, “We^(excl) are the sons/children of Abraham
The Jewish leaders replied, “We^(excl) are descended from Abraham.

We are Abraham’s descendants: The pronoun We is best treated as exclusive here. It is true that the speakers knew that Jesus was a son of Mary, and therefore a descendant of Abraham. However, they were not sure about his father. They spoke about themselves rather than him, as they responded to the “you” in the previous verse. (Jesus did not say, “the truth will make us^(incl) free.”) They said that as children of Israel they did not need to be set free. They believed that they were already spiritually free and that they belonged to God.

they answered: There are two ways to understand whom the pronoun they refers to here:

It refers to Jesus’ opponents that have been the ones who talked to him in all of chapters 7 and 8.
It refers to the Jews who believed in him in verses 30 and 31. That is the most recent plural noun that they could refer to.

Scholars are divided on the issue.Augustine, Barnes, Beasley-Murray, Bernhard, Cornerstone Commentary, Hunn, Klink, and Lenski favor interpretation (1), while Carson, Dodds, Godet, Hendriksen, Meyer, Michaels, Morris, Plummer, Ridderbos, Robertson, Vincent, and Westcott favor interpretation (2). Interpretation (2) appears to be a natural way to understand the pronoun. However, it seems more probable that they refers to Jesus’ opponents.

In verse 37, Jesus said that they were trying to kill him and that there was no place in them for his word. That does not sound like he was talking to the believers mentioned in 8:30–31. And in several places in John there are pronouns which refer to people not yet mentioned. Later, in verses 48 and 52, John identifies the ones who have been talking with Jesus. It is the same term that he uses for Jesus’ opponents.

When you translate the pronoun, it is recommended that you use the pronoun they as all English translations do. However, if you must make the pronoun clear, it is recommended that you refer to Jesus’ opponents.

8:33b

“We have never been slaves to anyone.

and we^(excl) have never been slaves, not to anyone.
No one has ever made us^(excl) their slaves!

We have never been slaves to anyone: The Jewish speakers denied two things: they denied that they were slaves to anyone, and they denied that they had ever been slaves. Translate this as a statement that is emphasized. It is good to suggest a tone of anger. For example:

and have never been anyone’s slaves! (NET)

and we have never in our lives been any man’s slaves (JBP)

slaves: This word refers to people who were owned by another person. They worked for their owner/master and did not receive wages. They had no rights of their own (or very few rights).

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to translate this word:

people who belonged to someone else

owned people

people who are forced to serve someone

Another way to translate this idea is to use a verb instead of a noun. (Actually, the Greek uses a verb form.) For example:

no one has ever forced us to serve them

8:33c

How can You say we will be set free?”

So why do you say, ‘You will be released?’ ”
How can you say that we^(excl) must be freed!”

How can You say we will be set free?: This is a rhetorical question. They used it to criticize or rebuke. The speakers were upset that Jesus wanted to set them free. They considered that they were already spiritually free, that they already followed God in a good way. There are two ways to translate this rebuke:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?” (GNT)
How can you say that we shall be set free? (NIV)
Use a statement that criticizes or rebukes Jesus. For example:
It does not make sense to say that we can be set free.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is most natural in your language.

we will be set free: This refers to what Jesus had said in 8:32b, “The truth will make you free.” You should translate the expression as it is here, and not make it agree exactly with what Jesus originally said. The verb set free is passive, and there are at least two ways to translate it:

General Comment on 8:33c

Use a passive verb. For example:
you will be made free (NRSV)
Use an active verb. For example:
you will be free (GNT)

John 8:33c contains a direct quotation inside another direct quotation. The inner direct quotation is not an exact word-for-word report of what Jesus had said (in 8:32b). In some languages it is more natural to use an indirect quotation. The speakers will therefore refer to themselves as “we^(excl)” rather than “you.” For example:

So why do you say we will be free? (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς σὺ λέγεις, ὅτι ἐλεύθεροι γενήσεσθε

how (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀπεκρίθησαν πρός αὐτόν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ Ἐσμέν καί οὐδενί δεδουλεύκαμεν πώποτε πῶς σύ λέγεις ὅτι ἐλευθεροῖ Γενήσεσθε)

The Jews are using the question form here to emphasize their shock at what Jesus has said. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [We do not need to be set free!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

πῶς σὺ λέγεις, ὅτι ἐλεύθεροι γενήσεσθε

If the direct quotation inside a direct quotation would be confusing in your language, you could translate the second direct quotation as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: [how can you say that we will be free]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. They answered
2. -
3. 6110
4. S
5. apokrinō
6. V-IAP3··P
7. ˱they˲ answered
8. ˱they˲ answered
9. S
10. Y33
11. 70216
1. to
2. -
3. 43140
5. pros
6. P-·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70217
1. him
2. -
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3AMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y33; R70187; Person=Jesus
11. 70218
1. We are
2. -
3. 15100
4. D
5. eimi
6. V-IPA1··P
7. ˱we˲ are
8. ˱we˲ are
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70224
1. seed
2. -
3. 46900
5. sperma
6. N-····NNS
7. seed
8. seed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70222
1. of Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
2. -
3. 110
4. U
5. abraam
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
8. ˱of˲ Abraham
9. U
10. Person=Abraham; Y33
11. 70223
1. and
2. 38\x*But and
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70225
1. we have served
2. -
3. 13980
5. douleuō
6. V-IEA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓have˒ served
8. ˱we˲ ˓have˒ served
9. -
10. Y33; R70192
11. 70228
1. to no one
2. anyone
3. 37620
5. oudeis
6. R-····DMS
7. ˱to˲ no_one
8. ˱to˲ no_one
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70227
1. ever
2. -
3. 44550
5. pōpote
6. D-·······
7. ever
8. ever
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70230
1. how
2. -
3. 44590
5. pōs
6. D-·······
7. how
8. how
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70232
1. are
2. -
3. 30040
5. legō
6. V-IPA2··S
7. ˓are˒ saying
8. ˓are˒ saying
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70235
1. you
2. you
3. 47710
5. su
6. R-···2N·S
7. you
8. you
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70233
1. saying
2. -
3. 30040
5. legō
6. V-IPA2··S
7. ˓are˒ saying
8. ˓are˒ saying
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70235
1. that
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70236
1. You all will be becoming
2. -
3. 10960
4. D
5. ginomai
6. V-IFM2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓will_be˒ becoming
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓will_be˒ becoming
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70238
1. free
2. -
3. 16580
5. eleutheros
6. S-····NMP
7. free
8. free
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70237

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 8:33