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Scripture · New Testament

John 8:33

John 8:33 is verse 33 of John chapter 8, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

World English Bible

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’ ?”

Read in context

John 8:31–35 · Berean Standard Bible

31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

Read all of John 8

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study John 8:33

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

John 8:39

“Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.

Leviticus 25:42

Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves.

Matthew 3:9

And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Luke 16:24

So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’

Luke 16:25

But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

Luke 16:26

And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

John 19:25

Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.

Genesis 15:13

Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Exodus 1:13

They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

Exodus 1:14

and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

Judges 2:18

Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.

Judges 3:8

Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

Judges 4:3

Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

Ezra 9:9

Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but He has extended to us grace in the sight of the kings of Persia, giving us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and giving us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 5:4

Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

Nehemiah 5:5

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Nehemiah 5:6

When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

Nehemiah 5:7

and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

Nehemiah 5:8

and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

Nehemiah 9:27

So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

Nehemiah 9:28

But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

Nehemiah 9:36

So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!

Nehemiah 9:37

Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

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