John 8:41

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God.

Ye {G5210} do {G4160} the deeds {G2041} of your {G5216} father {G3962}. Then {G3767} said they {G2036} to him {G846}, We {G2249} be {G1080} not {G3756} born {G1080} of {G1537} fornication {G4202}; we have {G2192} one {G1520} Father {G3962}, even God {G2316}.

You are doing the things your father does.” “We’re not illegitimate children!” they said to him. “We have only one Father — God!”

You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

Commentary

This verse captures a tense moment in Jesus' dialogue with the Jewish leaders, highlighting a fundamental misunderstanding of spiritual identity versus physical or religious lineage.

Context

The conversation in John chapter 8 is a heated debate between Jesus and a group of Jews who initially seemed to believe in him but are now challenging his claims about truth, freedom, and his own identity. Jesus has just told them that if they were Abraham's children, they would do the works of Abraham (John 8:39), implying they are not following Abraham's example of faith. When Jesus then states, "Ye do the deeds of your father," he is speaking spiritually. Their sharp, defensive response in this verse, "We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God," shows they took his statement literally, perhaps as an insult to their lineage or legitimacy, and asserted their claim to be children of God based on their religious heritage.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual vs. Physical Lineage: The core conflict is Jesus' focus on spiritual parentage (whose works they do) versus their focus on physical birth and their claimed religious identity as children of Abraham and God.
  • True Fatherhood: Jesus distinguishes between those whose father is God (shown by their actions and reception of His word) and those whose father is the devil (John 8:44), based on their deeds and rejection of truth.
  • Misunderstanding and Rejection: The leaders' response reveals their inability or unwillingness to grasp the spiritual nature of Jesus' teaching, resorting to a defensive literal interpretation and asserting their perceived status.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "born of fornication" (Greek: ek porneias) is a strong insult. While it could potentially be a literal accusation against Jesus (though unlikely given the context focuses on *their* father), it is more likely a metaphorical expression used by the Jewish leaders to assert the legitimacy and purity of their own lineage and religious standing, in contrast to any implied illegitimacy Jesus might be suggesting about their spiritual origin.

Reflection and Significance

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true spiritual identity is not based on physical descent, religious affiliation, or heritage alone, but on one's relationship with God as Father, which is demonstrated by our actions and our reception of Jesus and His word. Claiming God as Father is insufficient if one's deeds align with a different spiritual father. The challenge remains for believers today: do our lives and actions reflect that we are truly children of God?

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 64:8 (6 votes)

    But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand.

  • John 8:38 (5 votes)

    I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

  • Isaiah 63:16 (5 votes)

    Doubtless thou [art] our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, [art] our father, our redeemer; thy name [is] from everlasting.

  • John 8:44 (5 votes)

    Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Malachi 2:11 (3 votes)

    Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

  • Jeremiah 3:19 (2 votes)

    But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

  • Deuteronomy 14:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ Ye [are] the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.