properly · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular
Jesus
ἸησοῦςIēsous
G2424
Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua) · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
to
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
those
πεπιστευκόταςpepisteukotas
G4100
to have faith (in · verb — perfect active participle, accusative plural masculine
Jews
Ἰουδαίους·Ioudaious
G2453
Judæan · noun — accusative plural masculine, a people name
believed
πιστεύωpisteúō
G4100
to have faith (in
him
αὐτῷautō
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative singular masculine
If
ἐὰνean
G1437
a conditional particle · conditional particle
ye
ὑμεῖςhymeîs
G5210
you (as subjective of verb)
continue
μείνητεmeinēte
G3306
to stay (in a given place · verb — aorist active subjunctive, 2nd person plural
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
my
ἐμόςemós
G1699
my
word
λόγῳlogō
G3056
something said (including the thought) · noun — dative singular masculine
are ye
ἐστέesté
G2075
ye are
my
μοῦmoû
G3450
of me
disciples
μαθηταίmathētai
G3101
a learner · noun — nominative plural masculine
indeed
ἀληθῶςalēthōs
G230
truly · adverb
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both th…
John 15:4-9 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
2 Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man…
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was prea…
1 Samuel 12:14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also…
John 6:66-71 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on John 8:31-37
We have in these verses,
I. A comfortable doctrine laid down concerning the spiritual liberty of Christ's disciples, intended for the encouragement of those Jews that believed. Christ, knowing that his doctrine began to work upon some of his hearers, and perceiving that virtue had gone out of him, turned his discourse from the proud Pharisees, and addressed himself to those weak believers. When he had denounced wrath against those that were hardened in unbelief, then he spoke comfort to those few feeble Jews that believed in him. See here,
1. How graciously the Lord Jesus looks to those that tremble at his word, and are ready to receive it; he has something to say to those who have hearing e…
Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, &c.--The impression produced by the last words of our Lord may have become visible by some decisive movement, and here He takes advantage of it to press on them "continuance" in the faith, since then only were they His real disciples (compare Joh 15:3-8), and then should they experimentally "know the truth," and "by the truth be made (spiritually) free."
Adam Clarke on John 8:31
If ye continue in my word - Or, in this doctrine of mine. It is not enough to receive God's truth - we must retain and walk in it. And it is only when we receive the truth, love it, keep it, and walk in it, that we are the genuine disciples of Christ.
John Gill on John 8:31
Then said Jesus to those Jews that believed on him,.... For he knew instantly who they were, and when they believed on him; and therefore he immediately turned himself to them, and thus addressed them;
if ye continue in my word; meaning the Gospel, called his, because he was both the author, and preacher, and sum, and substance of it: and to continue in it, is having cordially received it, to abide by it, and hold it fast, and not to be moved from it, by the temptations of Satan; the cunning of those that lie in wait to deceive; nor by the revilings and persecutions, the frowns and flatteries of men: and when men continue thus steadfast in it, and faithful to it, it is an evidence that it h…
The Church Fathers
(de Verb. Dom. s. xlvii) We have all one Master, and are fellow disciples under Him. Nor because we speak with authority, are we therefore masters; but He is the Master of all, Who dwells in the hearts of all. It is a small thing for the disciple to come to Him in the first instance: he must continue in Him: if we continue not in Him, we shall fall. A little sentence this, but a great work; if ye continue. For what is it to continue in God's word, but to yield to no temptations? Without labour, the reward would be gratis; if with, then a great reward indeed.
They believed then, yet not as they ought, but carelessly and as it were by chance, being pleased and refreshed by the humility of the words. For that they had not perfect faith the Evangelist shows by their speeches after this, in which they insult Him again. And that these are the very same persons he has declared by saying, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word." Showing that they had not yet received His doctrine, but only gave heed unto His words. Wherefore He speaketh more sharply. Before He merely said, "Ye shall seek Me", but now He addeth what is more, "Ye shall die in your sins." And He showeth how; "because ye cannot when ye are come to that place afterwards entreat Me."
"If ye continue in My word," was the expression of One declaring what was in their heart, and knowing that they had indeed believed, but had not continued. And He promiseth a great thing, that they should become His disciples. For since some had gone away from Him before this, alluding to them He saith, "If ye continue," because they also had heard and believed, and departed because they could not continue. For "many of His disciples went back, and walked no more openly with Him." "Ye shall know the truth," that is, "shall know Me, for I am the truth. All the Jewish matters were types, but ye shall know the truth from Me, and it shall free you from your sins." As to those others He said, "Ye shall die in your sins," so to these He saith, "shall make you free." He said not, "I will deliver you from bondage," this He allowed them to conjecture.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Decision · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Perseverance · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Steadfastness · A characteristic of saints — A characteristic of saints
Titles And Names Of Saints · Disciples of Christ — Disciples of Christ
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John 8:30-38
30. While he spoke these things, many believed on him. 31. Jesus therefore said to the Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, you shall be truly my disciples. 32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33. They answered, We are Abraham's seed, and never were enslaved to any one; how then sayest thou, You shall be free? 34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, That every man who committeth sin is the slave of sin. [232] 35. And the slave [233] remaineth not always in the house, but the son remaineth always. 36. If the Son then shall make you free, you shall be truly free. 37. I know that you are the seed of Abraham, but you…
Discipleship is more than knowing who Jesus is. It is also about obeying his teachings (3:36; 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10). • Because Jesus is the truth (14:6), knowing him brings discernment of what is true and what is false. • set you free: The truth brings freedom from darkness, falsehood, and sin.
