John 8:14 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus answers that his self-witness is true, because he alone knows where he came from and where he is going.
What Does John 8:14 Mean?
Jesus accepts their challenge and overturns it. Ordinary self-testimony is suspect because no man fully knows himself. But Jesus knows exactly whence he came — from the Father who sent him — and whither he goes — back to the Father. His critics, judging only what is visible, can trace neither.
His witness is true because it rises from knowledge no one else on earth possesses; a traveler from a far country may be the only living witness to that country. Christ speaks of heavenly things as one who has seen them (John 3:11-13), and his certainty becomes the believer's anchor: those who follow him learn from him both where they came from and where they are going.
John 8:14 in the Original Language
martyria (μαρτυρία), 'record' -- testimony, the formal evidence a witness gives.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 8:14
What does John 8:14 mean?
Jesus answers that his self-witness is true, because he alone knows where he came from and where he is going.