I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.
I said {G2036} therefore {G3767} unto you {G5213}, that {G3754} ye shall die {G599} in {G1722} your {G5216} sins {G266}: for {G1063} if {G3362} ye believe {G4100} not {G3362} that {G3754} I {G1473} am {G1510} he, ye shall die {G599} in {G1722} your {G5216} sins {G266}.
This is why I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not trust that I AM [who I say I am], you will die in your sins.”
That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
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John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. -
John 3:18
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. -
Hebrews 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, -
Hebrews 10:29
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? -
Hebrews 12:25
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: -
Proverbs 8:36
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
John 8:24 presents a stark warning from Jesus Christ to those who refuse to believe in His true identity. This verse is central to understanding the eternal consequences of rejecting Him.
Context
This statement is made during a tense exchange between Jesus and the Jewish leaders in the temple in Jerusalem, as recorded in John chapter 8. Jesus has just spoken about His origin from above and their origin from below (John 8:23), and the inability of His hearers to follow Him where He is going because they are bound by their sins. The core issue is their stubborn unbelief and refusal to accept His divine claims, which Jesus addresses repeatedly throughout this chapter.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Greek phrase translated "I am [he]" is simply ego eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι). The word "[he]" is supplied by the King James Version translators for grammatical flow in English, but its absence in the original Greek is highly significant. Ego eimi is the same divine self-designation used by God to Moses in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14, "I AM THAT I AM"). By using this phrase, Jesus was not merely saying "I am the one you are looking for" but was making an absolute, unequivocal claim to be God, the eternal and self-existent One. The Jewish leaders understood this claim, which often led to their attempts to stone Him.
Practical Application
John 8:24 serves as a timeless reminder of the critical importance of faith in Jesus Christ. It underscores that understanding and accepting who Jesus claimed to be—God incarnate, the only way to the Father—is not optional but essential for eternal life. For those who believe, there is forgiveness and new life; for those who do not, the consequence is to remain under the power of sin and face its ultimate penalty. This verse calls every individual to seriously consider their response to Jesus' identity and claims, for upon it rests their eternal destiny.