John 8 · Verse 21

John 8:21

Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
John 8:21, King James Version

John 8:21 in other translations

BSBAgain He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
WEBJesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”
ASVHe said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come.
YLTtherefore said Jesus again to them, ‘I go away, and ye will seek me, and in your sin ye shall die; whither I go away, ye are not able to come.'
DARBYHe said therefore again to them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin; where I go ye cannot come.
BBEThen he said to them again, I am going away and you will be looking for me, but death will overtake you in your sins. It is not possible for you to come where I am going.
WebsterThen said Jesus again to them, I am going away, and ye will seek me, and will die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

What does John 8:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 8:21-25
21-25. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, &c.--(See on Joh 7:33).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. I go my way. Jn 7:33.

Ye shall die in your sins. That is, you will seek the Messiah; you will desire his coming, but the Messiah that you expect will not come; and, as you have rejected me, and there is no other Saviour, you must die in your sins. You will die unpardoned, and as you did not seek me where you might find me, you cannot come where I shall be. Observe,

1st. All those who reject the Lord Jesus must die unforgiven. There is no way of pardon but by him. Acts 4:12.

2nd. There will be a time when sinners will seek for a Saviour but will find none. Often this is done too late, in a dying moment, and in the future world they may seek a deliverer, but not be able to find one.

3rd. Those who reject the Lord Jesus must perish. Where he is they cannot come. Where he is is heaven. Where he is not, with his favour and mercy, there is hell; and the sinner that has no Saviour must be wretched for ever.

(s) "ye shall seek me" Jn 7:34 (t) "and shall die" Job 20:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Then said Jesus again unto them - He had said the same things to them the day before. See Joh 7:34. Ye shall seek me - When your calamities come upon you, ye shall in vain seek for the help of the Messiah, whom ye now reject, and whom ye shall shortly crucify.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:21-29
Those that live in unbelief, are for ever undone, if they die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world, but Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature, so that his doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste. But the curse of the law is done away to all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of Christ's grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ's grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ. Some say, Who is this Jesus? They allow him to have been a Prophet, an excellent Teacher, and even more than a creature; but cannot acknowledge him as over all, God blessed for evermore. Will not this suffice? Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour him as the Father? Does this admit his being the Light of the world, and the Life of men, one with the Father? All shall know by their conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always spake and did what pleased the Father, even when he claimed the highest honours to himself.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 8:21 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.

ΕἶπενEipenHe saidG2036
οὖνounthenG3767
πάλινpalinagainG3825
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ὑπάγω,hupagōam going awayG5217
καὶkaiandG2532
ζητήσετέzētēseteyou will seekG2212
μεmeMeG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἁμαρτίᾳhamartiasinG266
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ἀποθανεῖσθε·apothaneistheyou will die;G599
ὅπουhopouwhereG3699
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ὑπάγωhupagōgoG5217
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
οὐounotG3756
δύνασθεdunastheare ableG1410
ἐλθεῖν.eltheinto come.G2064

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

Cross references for John 8:21

  • John 7:34

    Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

  • John 8:24

    I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:17-18

    And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

  • Ezekiel 3:18-19

    When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

  • Proverbs 11:7

    When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

  • John 12:33

    This he said, signifying what death he should die.

  • Matthew 23:39

    For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

  • Proverbs 14:32

    The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

  • John 12:35

    Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

  • 1 Kings 18:10

    As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

  • Luke 16:22-26

    And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I go.
7:34; 12:33,35; 1Ki 18:10; 2Ki 2:16,17; Mt 23:39; 24:23,24
and shall die.
24; Job 20:11; Ps 73:18-20; Pr 11:7; 14:32; Isa 65:20; Eze 3:18,19
Lu 16:22-26; 1Co 15:17,18; Eph 2:1
whither.
7:34; 13:33; Mt 25:41,46

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

Context

  • 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.

  • John 8:21

    Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

  • John 8:22

    Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

Read all of John 8

John 8:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y díjoles otra vez Jesús: Yo me voy, y me buscaréis, mas en vuestro pecado moriréis: á donde yo voy, vosotros no podéis venir.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus leur dit donc encore: Moi, je m’en vais, et vous me chercherez; et vous mourrez dans votre péché: là où moi je vais, vous, vous ne pouvez venir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sprach nun wiederum zu ihnen: Ich gehe hin, und ihr werdet mich suchen und werdet in eurer Sünde sterben; wo ich hingehe, könnt ihr nicht hinkommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit ergo iterum eis Jesus: Ego vado, et quæretis me, et in peccato vestro moriemini. Quo ego vado, vos non potestis venire.