John 8:13

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

John 8:13 in Other Translations

13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

13 So the Pharisees said to him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true."

13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”

13 The Pharisees objected, "All we have is your word on this. We need more than this to go on."

13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true.

13 The Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn't true."

13 So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid."

13 The Pharisees argued with him. "Here you are," they said, "appearing as your own witness. But your witness does not count."

John 8:13 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:13

The Pharisees therefore said unto him
On account of his declaring himself the light of the world: these were either the same who went out of the temple, filled with remorse of conscience, and were now returned, and bearing him a grudge, came to take some advantage against him, if they could; or they were others of the same complexion, sent by them, to make their observations on him:

thou bearest record of thyself.
The Ethiopic version renders it, "dost thou thyself?" which does not seem so decent and comely; see ( Proverbs 27:2 ) ; though it does not follow, that what a man says of himself is not truth, as these suggest:

thy record is not true;
for John testified of himself, that he was not the Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet; but the voice of one crying in the wilderness; and this testimony he bore of himself, at the importunity of the Jews themselves, ( John 1:19-23 ) ; and his testimony was true; so was that which Christ bore of himself; but their sense rather seems to be, that it was not firm and authentic, and would not pass in any court of judicature, since no man can be a witness in his own cause.

John 8:13 In-Context

11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

Cross References

• 1. John 5:31