What Does John 8:55 Mean in the King James?
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.
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
The verse changes verbs beneath the repeated English word “know,” then makes knowing visible in what is kept.
THE MEANING
Knowing God is shown here in the keeping of God’s word. Jesus’ knowledge and speech remain aligned, while the charge that he is a liar turns on that very alignment. The verse holds knowing together with what is kept.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
I can truly know God while remaining untouched by what God says.
THE ROOT
ἐγνώκατε
egnōkate
GROWS FROM
γινώσκω (ginōskō), stem γινωσκ- (ginōsk-)
To know or recognize; the form here means “you have known.”
The English repeats “know,” but Greek begins with ἐγνώκατε (egnōkate, “you have known”) and then shifts to οἶδα (oida, “I know/perceive”). The verse contrasts two distinct verbs for knowing, without reducing them to a fixed split between relational and factual knowledge.
ALSO GROWS
gnōsis: Knowledge or knowing
γνῶσις
This noun shares the verb’s word family and makes its idea of knowing visible as a related form.
epiginōskō: Recognize or come to know
ἐπιγινώσκω
This compound carries the same knowing verb into the related sense of recognition.
οἶδα
oida
GROWS FROM
εἴδω (eidō), with οἶδα (oida) as its perfect form
The verb family means “see”; οἶδα is used for “know” or “perceive.”
οἶδα (oida, “I know/perceive”) belongs historically to εἴδω (eidō, “see”), preserving a link between seeing and knowing. Here it carries the ordinary sense “know,” while its distinctness from γινώσκω (ginōskō, “know/recognize”) gives the verse two different words where English uses one.
ALSO GROWS
eidon: I saw or they saw
εἶδον
This form from the same verb family keeps the historical link between seeing and knowing in view.
eidos: Form or appearance
εἶδος
This related word names what is seen, illuminating the perceptual history behind οἶδα (oida, “know”).
τηρῶ
tērō
GROWS FROM
τηρέω (tēreō), stem τηρ- (tēr-)
To keep, watch over, guard, or observe.
“keep” in this verse is tērō. This verb can carry the sense of keeping watch or guarding, so it suggests active care as well as keeping. What is kept is τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ (ton logon autou, “his word/saying”): the verse joins knowing God to holding his spoken word in care.
ALSO GROWS
tērēsis: Keeping or custody
τήρησις
This related noun gives the root’s sense of keeping a concrete form as an act of preservation.
tērētēs: Keeper or observer
τηρητής
This related noun names one who keeps or observes, echoing the action joined to knowing in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Knowing God becomes visible in the keeping of God’s word.
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.THE THREAD
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.This verse uses the same Greek word families for “know” and “keep” that appear in John 8:55. It makes explicit the connection John 8:55 places in Jesus’ own words: knowing him is joined to keeping what he says.
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