John 8 · Verse 54

John 8:54

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:
John 8:54, King James Version

John 8:54 in other translations

BSBJesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’
WEBJesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.
ASVJesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God;
YLTJesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who is glorifying me, of whom ye say that He is your God;
DARBYJesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom ye say, He is our God.
BBEJesus said in answer, If I take glory for myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who gives me glory, of whom you say that he is your God.
WebsterJesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God:

What does John 8:54 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 8:54-56
54-56. If I honour myself, my honour is nothing, &c.--(See on Joh 5:31, &c.).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 54. If I honour myself. If I commend or praise myself. If I had no other honour and sought no other honour than that which proceeds from a desire to glorify myself.

My honour is nothing. My commendation or praise of myself would be of no value. Jn 5:31.

(y) "If I honour" Jn 5:31,41 (z) "it is my Father" Jn 17:1.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 54 Your God - Many MSS. and most of the versions read ἡμων, our, instead of ὑμων. The variation is of very little consequence. They called God their God, while enemies to him both in their spirit and conduct.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:54-59
Christ and all that are his, depend upon God for honour. Men may be able to dispute about God, yet may not know him. Such as know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ, are put together, 2Th 1:8. All who rightly know anything of Christ, earnestly desire to know more of him. Those who discern the dawn of the light of the Sun of Righteousness, wish to see his rising. "Before Abraham was, I AM." This speaks Abraham a creature, and our Lord the Creator; well, therefore, might he make himself greater than Abraham. I AM, is the name of God, Ex 3:14; it speaks his self-existence; he is the First and the Last, ever the same, Re 1:8. Thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all worlds, Pr 8:23; Joh 1:1. As Mediator, he was the appointed Messiah, long before Abraham; the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Re 13:8. The Lord Jesus was made of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, to Adam, and Abel, and all that lived and died by faith in him, before Abraham. The Jews were about to stone Jesus for blasphemy, but he withdrew; by his miraculous power he passed through them unhurt. Let us stedfastly profess what we know and believe concerning God; and if heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall rejoice in looking forward to that day when the Saviour shall appear in glory, to the confusion of his enemies, and to complete the salvation of all who believe in him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 8:54 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.

ἈπεκρίθηApekrithēAnsweredG611
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ἐὰνeanIfG1437
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
δοξάσωdoxasōshall glorifyG1392
ἐμαυτόν,emautonMyself,G1473
ἡhētheG3588
δόξαdoxagloryG1391
μουmouof MineG3165
οὐδένoudenno [thing]G3762
ἐστιν·estinis;G1510
ἔστινestinit isG1510
ὁhotheG3588
πατήρpatērFatherG3962
μουmouof MineG3165
ὁhowhoG3588
δοξάζωνdoxazōnis glorifyingG1392
μεmeMeG3165
ὃνhon[of] whomG3739
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
λέγετεlegetesayG3004
ὅτιhotithatG3754
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
ἐστιν,estinHe is,G1510

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

Cross references for John 8:54

  • Proverbs 25:27

    It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

  • John 8:50

    And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

  • 2 Peter 1:17

    For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

  • Psalms 110:1-4

    A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

  • 2 Corinthians 10:18

    For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

  • John 16:14-15

    He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

  • Hebrews 5:4-5

    And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

  • John 5:31-32

    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.

  • John 5:22-29

    For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. …

  • Acts 3:13

    The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

  • Psalms 2:6-12

    Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. …

  • John 7:18

    He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If.
50; 2:11; 5:31,32; 7:18; Pr 25:27; 2Co 10:18; Heb 5:4,5
it is.
5:22-29,41; 7:39; 13:31,32; 16:14,15; 17:1,5; Ps 2:6-12; 110:1-4
Da 7:13,14; Ac 3:13; Eph 1:20-23; Php 2:9-11; 1Pe 1:12,21; 2Pe 1:17
ye say.
41; Isa 48:1,2; 66:5; Ho 1:9; Ro 2:17-29

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

Context

  • John 8:53

    Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

  • John 8:54

    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:

  • John 8:55

    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.

Read all of John 8

John 8:54 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Respondió Jesús: Si yo me glorifico á mí mismo, mi gloria es nada: mi Padre es el que me glorifica; el que vosotros decís que es vuestro Dios;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus répondit: Si moi je me glorifie moi-même, ma gloire n’est rien; c’est mon Père qui me glorifie, lui de qui vous dites: Il est notre Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus antwortete: Wenn ich mich selbst ehre, so ist meine Ehre nichts; mein Vater ist es, der mich ehrt, von welchem ihr saget: Er ist unser Gott.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Respondit Jesus: Si ego glorifico meipsum, gloria mea nihil est: est Pater meus, qui glorificat me, quem vos dicitis quia Deus vester est,