What Does John 8:13 Mean in the King James?
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A testimony is dismissed before it is weighed when the witness is treated as disqualified simply for speaking about himself.
THE MEANING
The accusation calls Jesus’ own testimony false because he speaks about himself. It exposes a familiar shortcut: judging a claim by the speaker’s relation to it before considering what that witness knows. The charge remains a claim, not yet a refutation of what he says.
THE ROOT
μαρτυρεῖς
martyreis
GROWS FROM
μαρτυρ-
martyr-
The Greek witness-family stem: to bear witness, testify, or give testimony.
“bearest record; record” in this verse is martyreis. Both “bearest record” and “thy record” come from the same witness-family: one names the act of testifying, the other the testimony. English separates the phrases, while Greek keeps the accusation focused on whether this witness and his testimony can be trusted.
ALSO GROWS
martys: witness
μάρτυς
Names the person who gives testimony, the role at the center of the accusation.
martureō: testify; bear witness
μαρτυρέω
Names the act rendered “bearest record,” linking Jesus’ speech directly to the testimony being challenged.
martyria: testimony; witness
μαρτυρία
Names the “record” the Pharisees call false, completing the link between witness, act, and testimony.
THE PATTERN
Scripture weighs testimony by its source and corroboration.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.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.If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.THE THREAD
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.Verse 14 repeats the same witness-family and reverses the verdict: Jesus bears witness of himself, yet says his testimony is true. He grounds that truth in knowing where he comes from and where he goes, shifting the question to what this witness knows.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us