John 8 · Verse 13

John 8:13

The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
John 8:13, King James Version

John 8:13 in other translations

BSBSo the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
WEBThe Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
ASVThe Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true.
YLTThe Pharisees, therefore, said to him, ‘Thou of thyself dost testify, thy testimony is not true;'
DARBYThe Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou bearest witness concerning thyself; thy witness is not true.
BBESo the Pharisees said to him, The witness you give is about yourself: your witness is not true.
WebsterThe Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou testifiest concerning thyself; thy testimony is not true.

What does John 8:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 8:13-19
13-19. bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true--How does He meet this specious cavil? Not by disputing the wholesome human maxim that "self-praise is no praise," but by affirming that He was an exception to the rule, or rather, that it had no application to Him.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. Thou bearest record of thyself. Thou art a witness for thyself, or in thy own case. See Jn 5:31. The law required two witnesses in a criminal case, and they alleged that as the only evidence which Jesus had was his own assertion, it could not be entitle to belief.

Is not true. Is not worthy of belief, or is not substantiated by sufficient evidence.

(g) "Thou bearest record" Jn 5:31

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Thou bearest record - As if they had said, Dost thou imagine that we shall believe thee, in a matter so important, on thy bare assertion? Had these people attended to the teaching and miracles of Christ, they would have seen that his pretensions to the Messiahship were supported by the most irrefragable testimony.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:12-16

Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more. What a dark dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to keep…

Read the full comment on John 8:12-16 →

John 8:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπονEiponSaidG2036
οὖνounthereforeG3767
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
οἱhoitheG3588
Φαρισαῖοι·PharisaioiPharisees;G5330
σὺsuYou yourselfG4771
περὶpericoncerningG4012
σεαυτοῦseautouYourselfG4771
μαρτυρεῖς·martureisare bearing witness;G3140
ἡhētheG3588
μαρτυρίαmarturiatestimonyG3141
σουsouof YouG4771
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἀληθής.¶alēthēstrue.G227

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 8:13

  • John 5:31-47

    If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Thou.
5:31-47

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 8:12

    Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

  • John 8:13

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

  • John 8:14

    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.

Read all of John 8

John 8:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces los Fariseos le dijeron: Tú de ti mismo das testimonio: tu testimonio no es verdadero.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les pharisiens donc lui dirent: Tu rends témoignage de toi-même; ton témoignage n’est pas vrai.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprachen die Pharisäer zu ihm: Du zeugst von dir selbst; dein Zeugnis ist nicht wahr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixerunt ergo ei pharisæi: Tu de teipso testimonium perhibes; testimonium tuum non est verum.