John 8:58

John 8:58

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

a. NLT: Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!

b. NIV: “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

c. YLT: Jesus said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham's coming -- I am;'

d. Amplified Bible: Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I Am.

e. Worrell Translation: Jesus said to them, “Verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham existed, I am.”

1. “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you…”

a. Jesus [2424 * Iesous] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

b. said [2036 * epion] [Strong: a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from 2046, 4483, and 5346); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell.]

c. unto them [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. verily [281 * amen] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (543); properly, firm, i.e. (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it):--amen, verily.

e. verily [281 * amen] [See “amen” above.]

f. I say [3004 * lego] [Strong: a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

g. unto you [5213 * humin] [Strong: irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

2. “…Before Abraham was, I am.”

a. before [4250 * prin] [Strong:  adverb from 4253; prior, sooner:--before (that), ere.]

b. Abraham [11 * Abraam] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (85); Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch:--Abraham.]

c. was [1096 * ginomai] [Strong: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

d. I [1473 * ego] [Strong: a primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic):--I, me.]

e. am [1510 * eimi] [Strong: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic):--am, have been, X it is I, was.]

1). The response of the Jews to what jeus says her is very telling. There is a specific reason they wanted to stone Him.

a). John 8:59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

2). The reason for them trying to stone Jesus was in his response in John 8:58 he was declaring himself God.

a). Exodus 3:8 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

3). Institute Of Creation Reacherch Daily Devotional 8/4/2013 This unique name of God was given to stress the truth that He is timeless. The name "LORD" (Hebrew YHWH = Yahweh, or Jehovah) is essentially the same, conveying the truth that He is the eternal, self-existing One. The Lord Jesus Christ appropriated this divine name to Himself when He told the Jews: "Before Abraham was |i.e., 'was born'|, I am" (John 8:58). Correctly assuming that this statement was nothing less than a direct claim to identity with God, the Jews immediately (but unsuccessfully) attempted to stone Him to death as a blasphemer. As the I Am, the Lord Jesus Christ is, indeed, everything, and He has revealed Himself to us under many beautiful symbols. It is well known that there are seven great "I am's" in the gospel of John, each of which is rich with spiritual depth of meaning. They can be listed as follows:

"I am the bread of life . . . the living bread" (John 6:35, 51).
"I am the light of the world . . . the light of life" (John 8:12).
"I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7).
"I am the good shepherd . . . |who| giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11).
"I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25).
"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
"I am the true vine" (John 15:1).

 It is well known that this magnificent self-assertion of the Lord permeates the whole Bible, from its first use in Genesis 15:1, "I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward," to its final occurrence in Revelation 22:16, "I am . . . the bright and morning star." And all these beautiful figures help us to pray more fervently "that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28). HMM