YHN 8:14 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

UST Jesus replied, “Even if I were the only witness for myself, what I say is still true because I know where I came from and I know where I am going. Nevertheless, you do not know where I came from and you do not know where I am going.

BSB Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came {from} and where I am going. But you {do} not know where I came {from} or where I am going.

BLB Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I am bearing witness concerning Myself, My testimony is true, because I know from where I came and where I am going. But you do not know from where I come or where I am going.

AICNT Jesus [answered and][fn] said to them, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; [but][fn] you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

8:14, answered: Absent from ℵ(01).

8:14, but: Absent from some manuscripts. ℵ(01) Latin(a)

OEB ‘Even if I bear testimony to myself,’ answered Jesus, ‘my testimony is trustworthy; for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from, nor where I am going.

LSB Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness about Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

WEBBE Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.

WMBB Yeshua answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.

NET Jesus answered, “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 do not know where I came from or where I am going.

LSV Jesus answered and said to them, “And if I testify of Myself—My testimony is true, because I have known from where I came, and to where I go, and you have not known from where I come, or to where I go.

FBV “Even if I am my own witness, my testimony is true,” Jesus told them, “for I know where I came from and where I'm going. But you don't know where I came from or where I'm going.

TCNT Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

T4T Jesus replied, “Even if I were the only one to say these things about myself, what I say is true, because I know that I came from heaven, and I know that I am going back to heaven. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

LEB Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify concerning myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I have come from or where I am going.

BBE Jesus said in answer, Even if I give witness about myself, my witness is true, because I have knowledge of where I came from and where I am going; but you have no knowledge of where I come from or of where I am going.

Moff Jesus replied to them, "Though I do testify to myself, my evidence is valid, because I know where I have come from and where I am going to — whereas you do not know where I have come from or where I am going to.

Wymth "Even if I am giving testimony about myself," replied Jesus, "my testimony is true; for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you know neither of these two things.

ASV Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go.

DRA Jesus answered, and said to them: Although I give testimony of myself, my testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go: but you know not whence I come, or whither I go.

YLT Jesus answered and said to them, 'And if I testify of myself — my testimony is true, because I have known whence I came, and whither I go, and ye — ye have not known whence I come, or whither I go.

Drby Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is true, because I know whence I came and whither I go: but ye know not whence I come and whither I go.

RV Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go.
(Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence/where I came, and whither/where I go; but ye/you_all know not whence/where I come, or whither/where I go. )

SLT Jesus answered and said to them. Though I testify of myself; my testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and where I retire; but ye know not whence I came and where I retire.

Wbstr Jesus answered and said to them, Though I testify concerning myself, yet my testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

KJB-1769 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
(Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence/where I came, and whither/where I go; but ye/you_all cannot tell whence/where I come, and whither/where I go. )

KJB-1611 Iesus answered, and said vnto them, Though I beare record of my selfe, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I goe: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I goe.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Iesus aunswered, & saide vnto them: Though I beare recorde of my selfe, yet my recorde is true. For I knowe whence I came, & whyther I go: But ye can not tel whence I come, and whyther I go.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

Gnva Iesus answered, and sayde vnto them, Though I beare recorde of my selfe, yet my recorde is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I goe.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered, and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence/where I came, and whither/where I go: but ye/you_all cannot tell whence/where I come, and whither/where I go. )

Cvdl Iesus answered, and sayde vnto them: Though I beare recorde of my self, yet my recorde is true: for I knowe whence I came, and whither I go: but ye can not tell whence I come, and whither I go.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

TNT Iesus answered and sayde vnto them: Though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true: for I knowe whence I came and whyther I goo. But ye cannot tell whence I come and whyther I goo.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered and said unto them: Though I bear record of myself yet my record is true: for I know whence/where I came and whither/where I go. But ye/you_all cannot tell whence/where I come and whither/where I go. )

Wycl Jhesus answerde, and seide to hem, And if Y bere witnessyng of my silf, my witnessyng is trewe; for Y woot fro whennus Y cam, and whidur Y go.
(Yhesus answered, and said to hem, And if I bear witnessing of myself, my witnessing is true; for I know from whence/where I came, and whither/where I go.)

Luth JEsus antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: So ich von mir selbst zeugen würde, so ist mein Zeugnis wahr; denn ich weiß, von wannen ich kommen bin und wo ich hingehe; ihr aber wisset nicht, von wannen ich komme und wo ich hingehe.
(Yesus replied and spoke to/for to_them: So I from to_me himself/itself witness/testify would, so is my transcript true; because/than I white, from_where I coming am and where I go_there; you(pl)/their/her but know not, from_where I come and where I go_there.)

ClVg Respondit Jesus, et dixit eis: Et si ego testimonium perhibeo de meipso, verum est testimonium meum: quia scio unde veni et quo vado; vos autem nescitis unde venio aut quo vado.[fn]
(Respondit Yesus, and he/she_said to_them: And when/but_if I testimony perhibeo from/about meipso, true it_is testimony mine: because I_know from_where/who I_came and where I_go; you(pl) however you_don't_know from_where/who I_cameo or where I_go. )

8.14 Verum est testimonium. Meum testimonium ideo verum est habendum, quia scio unde venio, hoc est, quia testimonio Patris confirmatur. veni missus a Patre, non tamen eum deserens, et impleto ministerio ad Patrem redeo, nec tamen mundum relinquo.

8.14 Verum it_is testimony. Meum testimony therefore/for_that_reason true it_is habendum, because I_know from_where/who I_cameo, this it_is, because testimony Father's confirmsur. I_came missus from Father, not/no nevertheless him deserens, and fillso ministry to Father redeo, but_not nevertheless the_world relinquo.

UGNT ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, κἂν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία μου, ὅτι οἶδα πόθεν ἦλθον καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω. ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἔρχομαι ἢ ποῦ ὑπάγω.
(apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous kai eipen autois, kan egō marturō peri emautou, alaʸthaʸs estin haʸ marturia mou, hoti oida pothen aʸlthon kai pou hupagō. humeis de ouk oidate pothen erⱪomai aʸ pou hupagō.)

SBL-GNT ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Κἂν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία μου, ὅτι οἶδα πόθεν ἦλθον καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἔρχομαι ⸀ἢ ποῦ ὑπάγω.
(apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous kai eipen autois; Kan egō marturō peri emautou, alaʸthaʸs estin haʸ marturia mou, hoti oida pothen aʸlthon kai pou hupagō; humeis de ouk oidate pothen erⱪomai ⸀aʸ pou hupagō.)

RP-GNT Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Κἂν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία μου· ὅτι οἶδα πόθεν ἦλθον, καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἔρχομαι, καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω.
(Apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous kai eipen autois, Kan egō marturō peri emautou, alaʸthaʸs estin haʸ marturia mou; hoti oida pothen aʸlthon, kai pou hupagō; humeis de ouk oidate pothen erⱪomai, kai pou hupagō.)

TC-GNT Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Κἂν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία μου· ὅτι οἶδα πόθεν ἦλθον, καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἔρχομαι, [fn]καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγω.
(Apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous kai eipen autois, Kan egō marturō peri emautou, alaʸthaʸs estin haʸ marturia mou; hoti oida pothen aʸlthon, kai pou hupagō; humeis de ouk oidate pothen erⱪomai, kai pou hupagō. )

8:14 και ¦ η ANT CT PCK

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:12–20: Jesus is the light of the world

In this section Jesus returned to teaching in the temple during the festival of Booths. He declared that he was the light of the world. The Pharisees said that what Jesus said was not valid because he testified about himself. Jesus said that his testimony was valid because he knew where he came from and where he was going. And he said that his Father testified about him too, but they did not know either him or his Father.

Here are some other examples of headings for this section:

Jesus said that he was light for the world

Jesus’ testimony that he was the light of the world was valid

Paragraph 8:13–18

The Jewish religious leaders challenged what Jesus said. They said that his witness to himself was worthless. Jesus defended his witness by saying that his Father, God himself, was also a witness. God the Father also said that what Jesus said was true.

8:14a

Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid,

Jesus answered them, “Even if I give a testimony/witness about myself, what I say is acceptable as true/proof,
Jesus replied to them, “Even though I act as my own witness, what I say about myself should be accepted as true/reliable,

See the General Comment on 8:14a-c for a different way to order the clauses in this verse.

Jesus replied: This clause means that Jesus answered the Pharisees. In some languages it is natural to supply an object. For example:

Jesus told them (NLT)

Jesus replied to the Pharisees

Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid: Jesus accepted that it was true that he testified on his own behalf (about himself). He rejected the expected conclusion that his testimony was therefore not valid (valid here means “acceptable in a law court”). In your translation of these clauses, use phrases that connect back with 8:13. For example:

¹³Then the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself, so Your testimony is not valid.” ¹⁴Yeshua answered them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid….” (TLV)

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of these clauses. For example:

My testimony is valid, even though I do testify on my own behalf (REB)

Even if: The Greek conjunction that BSB translates as Even if means “although” or “even though.” Jesus was saying that the clause that this conjunction introduces was true. But the conjunction also means that expected conclusion (that his testimony was not valid) is not true with Jesus.

Here are other ways to translate this conjunction:

Although….

Even though (NJB)

My testimony is valid: Use the same words for testimony and valid that you used in 8:13b. People did not expect that a person’s testimony about himself was valid. But Jesus’ testimony was valid.

8:14b

because I know where I came from and where I am going.

because I know where I came from and where I will go.
for I am sure of where I am from and where I will return.

because: The Greek conjunction that BSB translates as because introduces the reason why Jesus could say his own testimony was valid. A few translations (CEV, NCV) leave this conjunction implicit. Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural in your language.

I know where I came from and where I am going: Jesus knew that God had sent him to earth from heaven and that he would return to God in heaven. However, he did not say this explicitly, and you should not make it explicit in your translation.

where I am going: Even though the verb phrase am going is present tense, it has a future meaning. Jesus was talking about where he would go later. So it may be clearer and more natural in many languages to use a future tense verb. For example:

where I will go (EASY)

8:14c

But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

But you^(plur) do not know where I came from or where I will go.
However, you^(plur) do not know where I am from and where I will return.

But: The conjunction But indicates a contrast between what Jesus knew and what the religious leaders knew. He knew where he came from and would go to, but they did not know where he was really from.

you do not know where I came from: The religious leaders did not know that Jesus had come from God. The Greek text emphasizes the word you to emphasize the contrast between Jesus and the leaders. Jesus knew where he came from and where he would go, but the leaders did not know.

The Greek verb that the BSB translates as came is present tense, but here it has a past meaning. It refers to the fact that Jesus came from heaven, so you may want to use a past tense verb in your translation.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you know neither where I come from (REB)

or where I am going: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as or here introduces a second thing that the religious leaders did not know. They also did not know where Jesus would go. (Again, the present tense am going has a future meaning.) Jesus would go back to God, but he did not say so here. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different conjunction. For example:

and where I will go

nor where I will go

Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural in your language.

General Comment on 8:14a–c

In some languages it may be necessary to reorder the clauses in this verse. For example: