Jesus tells his audience that, despite being Abraham's seed, they have no fertile ground within them because they want to kill him.
John 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
John 8:38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.
(NLT) John 8:38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.
What I myself have observed at the side of the Father, I pass on. And what you yourselves have heard from the Father? Do!
We should do what we hear not what we want to hear.
Jesus is commanding those listening to him to do what they have heard from the Father. The English translations try to separate Jesus's father from the listener's father by adding a "my" and a "your," but the source just says just "the Father" in both sections. Jesus is contrasting his having seen the Father by being with Him to their only hearing from Him, and his passing on to them what he has seen.
The final word, the punchline, is the command "do." While the form could also be a statement, statistical analysis indicates its form is much more likely to be a command (9% to 88%). This, of course, makes perfect sense if Jesus is talking about only one Father, his own. The initial confusion here comes from a very bad source used by the KJV but that goes back to a bad Latin Vulgate version of this verse.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "speak" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "with" is not the common word usually translated as "with."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "my" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "father" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourselves."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "seen" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "with" is not the common word usually translated as "with."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek objects of this preposition were dative in the KJV Greek source but genitive in the one we used today.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "your" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "father" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "telling" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourselves."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "your" should be something more like "the."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "telling" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "you" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "saw" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The English verb "saw" is the present tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "have watched."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "when I was with" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "with" is not the common word usually translated as "with."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "my" should be something more like "the."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "but" should be something more like "and."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "following" should be something more like "performing."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "the advice" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "what" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "you yourselves" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "have heard" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "of" should be something more like "from."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "your" should be something more like "the."
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
speak -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "speak" is not the ordinary "to say" or "to speak" in Greek. This word means both "idle chatter," "gossip," and "the proclamations of an oracle." Jesus uses it to capture the idea of "pass on" or "relay" information because that captures both someone gossiping and an oracle does. The word is somewhat self-effacing.
that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source.
which -- The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It is a metaphor for mental seeing, that is, perceiving. However, it is one of the many words that Christ uses to mean "see," but it is not one of the most common ones. Jesus seems to use this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning.
with -- (CW) The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the dative, the sense is static, "by the side of," "near," and "before." It is not the common prepositions that means "with."
my-- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "my" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
ye-- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
do - The Greek word translated as "to do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do," which covers all actions, productive or not.
that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source.
which -- The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
ye -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.
missing "yourselves" ---- (MW) The pronoun is used here explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since this information is already in the verb, the sense is repetitive as we say "you yourselves."
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
seen -- (OS) -- "Seen" is from a Greek verb that means "to hear" and "to listen." It has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding. It is the most common verb that Christ uses meaning "to hear." It also means "to listen" and "to understand," but amusingly, it also means "to be silent." This was a different word in the KJV source.
with -- (CW, OS) The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the genitive, the sense is motion, "from the side of," "from beside," and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is static, "by the side of," "near," and "before." It is not the common prepositions that means "with." In the source used for the KJV, its object was dative, but in today's source, its object is genitive, a change from the first such phrase.
your -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "my" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
am -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb.
telling -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "telling " is not the ordinary "to tell" or "to say" in Greek. This word means both "idle chatter," "gossip," and "the proclamations of an oracle." Jesus uses it to capture the idea of "pass on" or "relay" information because that captures both someone gossiping and an oracle does. The word is somewhat self-effacing.
you -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "you" in the Greek source.
what -- The word translated as "what " is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It is a metaphor for mental seeing, that is, perceiving. However, it is one of the many words that Christ uses to mean "see," but it is not one of the most common ones. Jesus seems to use this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning.
in -- The Greek preposition translated as "in...presence" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the dative, the sense is static, "by the side of," "near," and "before." It is not the common prepositions that means "with."
the -- The word is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father’s -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
presence, -- This finishes the idea of the preposition.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb.
doing - The Greek word translated as "to do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do," which covers all actions, productive or not.
what -- The word translated as "what " is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
you -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.
missing "yourselves" ---- (MW) The pronoun is used here explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since this information is already in the verb, the sense is repetitive as we say "you yourselves."
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
heard -- -- "Heard" is from a Greek verb that means "to hear" and "to listen." It has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding. It is the most common verb that Christ uses meaning "to hear." It also means "to listen" and "to understand," but amusingly, it also means "to be silent." This was a different word in the KJV source.
from -- The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the genitive, the sense is motion, "from the side of," "from beside," and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is static, "by the side of," "near," and "before." It is not the common prepositions that means "with." In the source used for the KJV, its object was dative, but in today's source, its object is genitive, a change from the first such phrase.
your -- (WW) The "your" is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
am -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb.
telling -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "telling " is not the ordinary "to tell" or "to say" in Greek. This word means both "idle chatter," "gossip," and "the proclamations of an oracle." Jesus uses it to capture the idea of "pass on" or "relay" information because that captures both someone gossiping and an oracle does. The word is somewhat self-effacing.
you -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "you" in the Greek source.
what -- The word translated as "what " is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
saw -- (CW, WT) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It is a metaphor for mental seeing, that is, perceiving. However, it is one of the many words that Christ uses to mean "see," but it is not one of the most common ones. Jesus seems to use this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning. The tense is not the simple past but the past perfect.
when I was -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "when I was" in the Greek source.
with -- (CW) The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the dative, the sense is static, "by the side of," "near," and "before." It is not the common prepositions that means "with."
my -- (WW) The "my" is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
But -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "but" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb.
following - (WW) The Greek word translated as "following" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do," which covers all actions, productive or not.
the advice -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "the advice" in the Greek source.
missing "what" -- (MW) The untranslated word is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
missing "your yourselves" -- (MW) The untranslated word "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.
missing "have heard" -- (MW) -- "Heard" is from a Greek verb that means "to hear" and "to listen." It has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding. It is the most common verb that Christ uses meaning "to hear." It also means "to listen" and "to understand," but amusingly, it also means "to be silent." This was a different word in the KJV source.
of -- (WW) The Greek preposition translated as "of" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With the genitive, the sense is motion, "from the side of," "from beside," and generally "from."
your -- (WW) The "your" is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
ἃ [294 verses](pron sg fem nom or pron pl neut nom) "That" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
ἐγὼ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.
ἑώρακα [20 verses](1st sg perf ind act) "I have seen" i is from horao, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," "to observe," "see," "aim," "have sight," "behold," "keep in sight," and as a metaphor of mental sight, "discern," and "perceive."
παρὰ [45 verses](prep) "With" is para, has many meanings, which depend on the case of its object and the sense of the verb. With the genitive, the sense is always motion, "from the side of," "from beside," "issuing from", and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is always static, "by the side of," "near," "in the presence of," and "before." With the accusative, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more including "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)." It is not the common prepositions that means "with."
τῷ [821 verses](article sg masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
πατρὶ [191 verses](noun sg masc dat) "The Father" is pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers."
λαλῶ: [49 verses](1st sg pres ind act) "Speak" is laleo, which means "to talk," "to speak" "to prattle," "to chat," and [for oracles] "to proclaim." It also means "chatter" as the opposite of articulate speech. However, Jesus seems to use in in the sense of "relaying" information gained from another.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
ὑμεῖς [92 verses](pron 2nd pl nom) "You" is hymeis (humeis), which is the plural nominative form of the second person, "you."
οὖν [82 verses](adv) "Therefore" is oun, which means "certainly," "in fact," "really," "in fact," "so" and "then" (continuing a narrative), and "then" and "therefore." -- The Greek word translated as "therefore" either emphasizes the truth of something ("certainly," "really") or it simply continues an existing narrative, "then," "therefore." Jesus uses it to respond positively to questions, but in parables, it can continue the story.
ἃ [294 verses](pron sg fem nom or pron pl neut nom) "That" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
ἠκούσατε [95 verses](2nd pl aor ind act) "Ye have seen"is akouo, which means "hear of," "hear tell of," "what one actually hears," "know by hearsay," "listen to," "give ear to," "hear and understand," and "understand." The accusative object is the person/thing heard about, while the genitive is the person/thing heard from. However, two genitives can be used with the sense of "hear of a thing from a person." -
παρὰ [45 verses](prep) "With" is para, has many meanings, which depend on the case of its object and the sense of the verb.With the genitive, the sense is always motion, "from the side of," "from beside," "issuing from", and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is always static, "by the side of," "near," "in the presence of," and "before." With the accusative, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more including "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)."
τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc gen) "My" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
πατρὸς [191 verses](noun sg masc gen) "Father" is pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers." -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
ποιεῖτε. [168 verses] (2nd pl pres ind/imperat act) "Do" is poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to perform," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." -