John 8 · Verse 19

John 8:19

Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
John 8:19, King James Version

John 8:19 in other translations

BSB“Where is Your Father?” they asked Him. “You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”
WEBThey said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
ASVThey said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also.
YLTThey said, therefore, to him, ‘Where is thy father?' Jesus answered, ‘Ye have neither known me nor my Father: if me ye had known, my Father also ye had known.'
DARBYThey said to him therefore, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me nor my Father. If ye had known me, ye would have known also my Father.
BBEThen they said to him, Where is your Father? Jesus said in answer, You have no knowledge of me or of my Father: if you had knowledge of me you would have knowledge of my Father.
WebsterThen said they to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also.

What does John 8:19 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.

Read the full comment on John 8:13-19 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Where is thy Father? This question was asked, doubtless, in derision. Jesus had often given them to understand that by his Father he meant God, Jn 5:1-6:71. They professed to be ignorant of this, and probably looked round in contempt for his Father, that he might adduce him as a witness in the case.

If ye had known me, &c. If you had listened to my instructions, and had received me as the Messiah, you would also, at the same time, have been acquainted with God. We may here observe,

1st. The manner in which Jesus answered them. He gave no heed to their cavil; he was not irritated by their contempt; he preserved his dignity, and gave them an answer worthy of the Son of God.

2nd. We should meet the cavils and sneers of sinners in the same manner. We should not render railing for railing, but "in meekness instruct those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth," 2Ti 2:25.

3rd. The way to know God is to know Jesus Christ. "No man hath seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," Jn 1:18. No sinner can have just views of God but in Jesus Christ, 2Cor 4:6.

(o) "Jesus answered" Jn 8:55, 16:3, 17:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Ye neither know me, etc. - Ye know neither the Messiah, nor the God that sent him. If ye had known me - If ye had received my teaching, ye would have got such an acquaintance with the nature and attributes of God as ye never could have had, and never can have any other way. That is a true saying, No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, who lay an the bosom of the Father. he hath Declared him. The nature and perfections of God never can be properly known, but in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is worthy of remark that, in all this discourse, our blessed Lord ever speaks of the Father and himself as two distinct persons. Therefore, the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, as some persons vainly imagine; though it is plain enough that the completest unity and equality subsists between them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:17-20

If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him. The time of our departure out of the world, depends upon God. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father. Every true…

Read the full comment on John 8:17-20 →

John 8:19 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.

ἔλεγονelegonThey were sayingG3004
οὖνounthereforeG3767
αὐτῷ·autōto Him;G846
ποῦpouWhereG4226
ἐστινestinisG1510
ὁhotheG3588
πατήρpatērFatherG3962
σου;¶souof You?G4771
ἈπεκρίθηApekrithēAnsweredG611
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
οὔτεouteNeitherG3777
ἐμὲemeMe myselfG1473
οἴδατεoidateyou know
οὔτεoutenor [know]G3777
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέραpateraFatherG3962
μου.mouof Mine.G3165
εἰeiIfG1487
ἐμὲemeMe myselfG1473
ᾔδειτεēdeiteyou had knownG1492
καὶkaialsoG2532
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέραpateraFatherG3962
μουmouof MineG3165
ἂνanthen wouldG302
ᾔδειτε.ēdeiteyou have known.G1492

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

Cross references for John 8:19

  • John 8:54-55

    Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

  • John 16:3

    And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

  • John 14:6-9

    Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

  • Matthew 11:25

    At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

  • John 1:10

    He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

  • John 7:28

    Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:34

    Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

  • 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 the Father and the Son.

  • Jeremiah 24:7

    And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

  • Luke 10:21-22

    In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

  • Galatians 4:9

    But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ye neither.
54,55; 1:10; 7:28; 10:14,15; 15:21; 16:3; Jer 22:16; 24:7; 1Co 15:34
Ga 4:9; Col 1:10; 1Jo 5:20
if.
1:18; 14:6-9; 17:3,25,26; Mt 11:25; Lu 10:21,22; 2Co 4:4-6; Eph 1:17
Col 1:15; Heb 1:3; 2Jo 1:9

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

Context

  • John 8:18

    I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

  • John 8:19

    Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

  • John 8:20

    These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

Read all of John 8

John 8:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y decíanle: ¿Dónde está tu Padre? Respondió Jesús: Ni á mí me conocéis, ni á mi Padre; si á mí me conocieseis, á mi Padre también conocierais.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils lui dirent donc: Où est ton père? Jésus répondit: Vous ne connaissez ni moi, ni mon Père; si vous m’aviez connu, vous auriez connu aussi mon Père.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprachen sie zu ihm: Wo ist dein Vater? Jesus antwortete: Ihr kennet weder mich noch meinen Vater; wenn ihr mich gekannt hättet, so würdet ihr auch meinen Vater gekannt haben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicebant ergo ei: Ubi est Pater tuus? Respondit Jesus: Neque me scitis, neque Patrem meum: si me sciretis, forsitan et Patrem meum sciretis.