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46 Who among you can prove me guilty[a] of any sin?[b] If I am telling you[c] the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 The one who belongs to[d] God listens and responds[e] to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond,[f] because you don’t belong to God.”[g]

48 The Judeans[h] replied,[i] “Aren’t we correct in saying[j] that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”[k]

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:46 tn Or “can convict me.”
  2. John 8:46 tn Or “of having sinned”; Grk “of sin.”
  3. John 8:46 tn Or “if I tell you.”
  4. John 8:47 tn Grk “who is of.”
  5. John 8:47 tn Grk “to God hears” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
  6. John 8:47 tn Grk “you do not hear” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
  7. John 8:47 tn Grk “you are not of God.”
  8. John 8:48 tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They had become increasingly hostile as Jesus continued to teach. Now they were ready to say that Jesus was demon-possessed.
  9. John 8:48 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
  10. John 8:48 tn Grk “Do we not say rightly.”
  11. John 8:48 tn Grk “and have a demon.” It is not clear what is meant by the charge Σαμαρίτης εἶ σὺ καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις (Samaritēs ei su kai daimonion echeis). The meaning could be “you are a heretic and are possessed by a demon.” Note that the dual charge gets one reply (John 8:49). Perhaps the phrases were interchangeable: Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-24) and in later traditions Dositheus, the two Samaritans who claimed to be sons of God, were regarded as mad, that is, possessed by demons.

46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(A) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(B) and demon-possessed?”(C)

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