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Contemporary English Version

John 8:12

Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, "I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Darkness;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Light;   Regeneration;   Righteous;   Wisdom;   Scofield Reference Index - World-System;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dark Days;   Discipleship;   Followers;   Light, Spiritual;   Light-Darkness;   Names;   Titles and Names;   The Topic Concordance - Following;   Jesus Christ;   Light;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Blindness, Spiritual;   Candlestick;   Light;   Titles and Names of Christ;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Light;   Sun;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jesus christ;   John, gospel of;   Light;   Teacher;   Witness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Covenant;   God;   Jesus Christ;   Light;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Candlestick;   Jesus Christ;   Tabernacles, Feast of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Darkness;   Festivals;   Imagery;   Jesus Christ;   Lamps, Lighting, Lampstand;   Lantern;   Light, Light of the World;   Ono;   Pillar of Cloud and Fire;   World, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Christianity;   Faith;   Light;   Logos;   Marriage;   Papyri and Ostraca;   Tabernacles, Feast of;   World;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Attributes of Christ;   Beauty;   Communion (2);   Conscience ;   Consciousness;   Creator (Christ as);   Darkness (2);   Deceit, Deception, Guile;   Deliverance ;   Enlightenment ;   Error;   Example;   Following;   Goodness;   Gospel (2);   Humanity of Christ;   Ideas (Leading);   Immanence ;   Influence;   John, Gospel of (Ii. Contents);   Life ;   Light;   Light and Darkness;   Lord's Supper (Ii);   Man;   Manuscripts;   Mediator;   Mission;   Night (2);   Obscurity;   Palestine;   Perfection (of Jesus);   Pleasure;   Poet;   Presence (2);   Regeneration;   Repentance;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Sincerity;   Son of God;   Teaching of Jesus;   Temple (2);   Walk (2);   Witness (2);   World ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Light;   29 Light Lamp Candle;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Light;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Names titles and offices of christ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Tabernacles, the Feast of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Christ;   Light;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mediator;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christ, Offices of;   Jesus Christ (Part 2 of 2);   Johannine Theology, the;   Life;   Light;   Logos;   Number;   Salvation;   World (Cosmological);  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 27;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Later, Jesus talked to the people again. He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never live in darkness. They will have the light that gives life."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them sayinge: I am the light of the worlde. He that foloweth me shall not walke in darcknes: but shall have the light of lyfe.
Hebrew Names Version
Again, therefore, Yeshua spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
International Standard Version
Later on Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."John 1:4-5,9; 3:19; 9:5;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
New Century Version

Later, Jesus talked to the people again, saying, "I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the light that gives life."
Update Bible Version
Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
English Standard Version
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
World English Bible
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then spake Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Weymouth's New Testament
Once more Jesus addressed them. "I am the Light of the world," He said; "the man who follows me shall certainly not walk in the dark, but shall have the light of Life."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor eft Jhesus spak to hem, and seide, Y am the liyt of the world; he that sueth me, walkith not in derknessis, but schal haue the liyt of lijf.
English Revised Version
Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Berean Standard Bible
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
Amplified Bible
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, "I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
American Standard Version
Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Bible in Basic English
Then again Jesus said to them, I am the light of the world; he who comes with me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life."
Darby Translation
Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Etheridge Translation
BUT again Aramaic, p. 81.">[fn] spake Jeshu with them, and said, I am the Light of the world: he who followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall find the light of life.
Murdock Translation
And Jesus again conversed with them, and said: I am the light of the world: he that cometh to me, will not walk in darkness; but will find for himself the light of life.
King James Version (1611)
Then spake Iesus againe vnto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth mee, shall not walke in darkenesse, but shall haue the light of life.
New Living Translation

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
New Life Bible
Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, "I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life."
New Revised Standard
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then spake Iesus againe vnto them, saying, I am that light of the worlde: hee that followeth mee, shall not walke in darkenes, but shall haue that light of life.
George Lamsa Translation
Again Jesus spoke to them and said, I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but he shall find for himself the light of life.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Again, therefore, unto them, spake Jesus, saying - I, am the light of the world: He that followeth me, shall in nowise walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Again therefore, Jesus spoke to: them, saying: I am the light of the world. He that followeth me walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Revised Standard Version
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them, saying, I am the light of ye world: He that foloweth me, doth not walke in darknesse, but shal haue the light of life.
Good News Translation
Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. "I am the light of the world," he said. "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness."
Christian Standard Bible®
Jesus spoke to them again: “I am
King James Version
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Lexham English Bible
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Literal Translation
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. The one following Me will in no way walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.
Young's Literal Translation
Again, therefore, Jesus spake to them, saying, `I am the light of the world; he who is following me shall not walk in the darkness, but he shall have the light of the life.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them, and sayde: I am the light of the worlde. He that foloweth me, shal not walke in darknesse, but shal haue the light of life.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus then having reassumed his discourse, said to them, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
THE MESSAGE
Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in."
New English Translation
Then Jesus spoke out again, "I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
New King James Version
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus turned back to the crowd and said, "I am the light of the world. Those who ride with me will never ride in the dark. They will live in the light."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

Contextual Overview

12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, "I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life." 13 The Pharisees objected, "You are the only one speaking for yourself, and what you say isn't true!" 14 Jesus replied: Even if I do speak for myself, what I say is true! I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don't know where I am from or where I am going. 15 You judge in the same way that everyone else does, but I don't judge anyone. 16 If I did judge, I would judge fairly, because I would not be doing it alone. The Father who sent me is here with me. 17 Your Law requires two witnesses to prove that something is true. 18 I am one of my witnesses, and the Father who sent me is the other one. 19 "Where is your Father?" they asked. "You don't know me or my Father!" Jesus answered. "If you knew me, you would know my Father." 20 Jesus said this while he was still teaching in the place where the temple treasures were stored. But no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: John 1:4-9, John 3:19, John 9:5, John 12:35, Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 42:7, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 60:1-3, Hosea 6:3, Malachi 4:2, Matthew 4:14-16, Luke 1:78, Luke 1:79, Luke 2:32, Acts 13:47, Acts 26:23

shall not: John 12:35, John 12:46, Psalms 18:28, Psalms 97:11, Isaiah 50:10, 2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:17, Jude 1:6, Jude 1:13

shall have: John 7:17, John 14:6, Job 33:28, Psalms 49:19, Revelation 21:24

Reciprocal: Exodus 25:37 - give Exodus 40:24 - General Leviticus 24:2 - the lamps 2 Samuel 22:29 - lamp 1 Kings 15:4 - give him 2 Chronicles 4:7 - ten candlesticks Job 19:8 - set Job 22:28 - the light Job 29:3 - by his light Job 33:30 - enlightened Job 38:19 - the way Psalms 27:1 - light Psalms 36:9 - in thy Psalms 56:13 - the light Psalms 84:11 - a sun Psalms 118:27 - showed Proverbs 4:18 - General Isaiah 49:9 - to them Daniel 2:22 - and the Hosea 11:10 - walk Micah 7:8 - the Lord Mark 14:49 - was John 8:9 - alone John 8:18 - one John 8:25 - Even John 8:51 - see John 9:39 - that they John 10:25 - I told John 10:27 - and they Acts 3:22 - A prophet Acts 26:18 - and to 1 Corinthians 1:30 - wisdom 2 Corinthians 3:14 - which veil 2 Corinthians 4:4 - lest Ephesians 5:8 - but Ephesians 5:14 - Christ 1 Thessalonians 1:6 - and of James 1:17 - from the 2 Peter 1:19 - a light 1 John 1:5 - that God 1 John 2:8 - and the Revelation 14:4 - which follow

Cross-References

Genesis 8:2
God stopped up the places where the water had been gushing out from under the earth. He also closed up the sky, and the rain stopped.
Genesis 8:3
For one hundred fifty days the water slowly went down.
Genesis 8:5
The water kept going down, and the mountain tops could be seen on the first day of the tenth month.
Genesis 8:6
Forty days later Noah opened a window to send out a raven, but it kept flying around until the water had dried up.
Genesis 8:8
Noah wanted to find out if the water had gone down, and he sent out a dove.
Genesis 8:10
Seven days later Noah sent the dove out again.
Psalms 27:14
Trust the Lord ! Be brave and strong and trust the Lord .
Isaiah 8:17
Meanwhile, I patiently trust the Lord , even though he is no longer pleased with Israel.
Isaiah 25:9
At that time, people will say, "The Lord has saved us! Let's celebrate. We waited and hoped— now our God is here."
Isaiah 26:8
You are the one we trust to bring about justice; above all else we want your name to be honored.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then spake Jesus again unto them,.... Syriac fragment of Bishop Usher's, published by De Dieu, prefaces this verse thus, "when they were gathered together", Jesus said, c. that is, the Scribes and Pharisees, who went out and returned again or some others of them, who came after this, to whom Christ addressed himself thus:

I am the light of the world; which he might say, on occasion of the rising sun, which was now up, and might shine brightly in their faces; see John 8:2; which is אור העולם, "the light of the world", as Aben Ezra in Psalms 19:8 rightly calls it: thus on occasion of the water in Jacob's well, he discoursed of living water; and upon the Jews at Capernaum mentioning the manna, he treated at large concerning himself as the bread of life: and he might also make use of this character, and apply it to himself, with a view to some passages in the Old Testament, which speak of him under the metaphor of the sun, as Psalms 84:11, and represent him as the light; and the Jews t themselves say, that light is one of the names of the Messiah; and God himself is called by them, the light of the world u: and likewise he may have regard to those pompous titles and characters, which the Jewish doctors assumed arrogantly to themselves, and oppose himself to them; for they not only called Moses their master, אור העולם, "the light of the world" w, and also the law of Moses x, but their Rabbins and doctors;

Psalms 84:11- :. By the world here is meant, not the whole world, and all the individuals of it; for though Christ, as the Creator of all things, is the light of men, and does lighten every individual man with the light of nature and reason, yet not in a spiritual and saving manner, as is here intended; nor the whole body of the elect of God, though they are sometimes called the world, being the better part of it, and are made light in the Lord, in a special sense; nor the Jews only, and the chosen of God, among them, though Christ was a great light to many of them, that sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death; but the Gentiles are here designed, who were usually called by the Jews, the world; Psalms 84:11- :. And these were in gross darkness before the coming of Christ, about the Divine Being, concerning the object, nature, and manner of worship; the Scriptures, the law, and Gospel; the Messiah, and his office and work; the Spirit of God, and his operations of grace; the resurrection of the dead, and a future state; now Christ came to be a light of the Gentiles, as well as the glory of his people Israel: our Lord seems to have respect to the prophecy of him, in Isaiah 42:6, as well as alludes to the sun in the firmament; whose light is diffused to all the nations of the earth, and not confined to one spot of land only: but since Christ was the minister of the circumcision, and was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, it may be asked, how could he be the light of the Gentiles? to which it may be replied, that he was so by his apostles, who were sent by him with the light of the Gospel, into all the world; and by his Spirit, who enlightens the minds of men, who were darkness itself, with the light of Christ: for he is not only the author and giver of the light of nature to all men, but also of the light of grace to all his chosen ones, Gentiles as well as Jews; who, in his light, see light; see themselves lost and undone, and him to be the only willing, able, suitable, and complete Saviour; and behold wondrous things in the doctrines of the Gospel, and have some glimpse of glory; and he is likewise the author of all the light of glory the saints enjoy in the other world; the Lamb is the light of that state; he is their everlasting light, and their glory; and happy are they who are his followers now:

he that followeth me; not corporeally, but spiritually, by faith; for as believing is expressed by coming to Christ, so by following after him: compare with this, John 12:46; and with love and affection to him, the desires of the soul being unto him, and to the remembrance of him; and in the exercise of every grace and discharge of every duty, in imitation of him; and through a variety of sufferings and tribulations, pressing after him as the guide, captain, and forerunner: and such

shall not walk in darkness; in the darkness of unregeneracy, not knowing what they are, and where they are, and whither they are going; for such know they are in the light; and though they were blind, now they see; they know in whom they have believed, and that they are in Christ, in the covenant of grace, and in the love of God, and are going to heaven and eternal happiness; such shall not walk in the darkness of unbelief; but walk by faith on Christ; nor in the darkness of error, but in the truth of the Gospel, and as becomes it; and though they may sometimes walk without the light of God's countenance, yet light shall arise to them; and such "shall not go into darkness", as the Ethiopic version renders the words, into outer darkness, or the darkness of eternal death:

but shall have the light of life; the grace of God abiding in them now; which as it is a well of living water, springing up to eternal life, so it is a shining light, which increases to the perfect day: as darkness and death, so light and life go together; grace, which is enlightening, is also quickening and comforting, and issues in eternal light and life; a light that will never be extinguished, and a life that will continue for ever, with never fading joys and pleasures; see Job 33:30.

t Bereshit Rabba, fol. 1. 3. Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2. & Jarchi in Psal xliii. 3. u Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 15. fol. 217. 2. w Tzeror Hammor, fol. 114. 3. x T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 4. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I am the light of the world - See the notes at John 1:4, John 1:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 8:12. Then spake Jesus again unto them — Allowing the story about the woman taken in adultery to be authentic, and to stand here in its proper place, we may consider that our Lord, having begun to teach the people in the temple, was interrupted by the introduction of this woman by the scribes and Pharisees; and now, having dismissed them and the woman also, he resumes his discourse.

I am the light of the world — The fountain whence an intellectual light and spiritual understanding proceed: without me all is darkness, misery, and death. The Divine Being was, by the rabbins denominated, The light of the world. So in Bamidbar Rabba: "The Israelites said to God, O Lord of the universe, thou commandest us to light lamps to thee, yet thou art THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: and with thee the light dwelleth." Our Lord, therefore, assumes here a well known character of the Supreme Being; and with this we find the Jews were greatly offended.

Shall not walk in darkness — He shall be saved from ignorance, infidelity, and sin. If he follow me, become my disciple, and believe on my name, he shall have my Spirit to bear witness with his, that he is a child of God. He shall have the light of life-such a light as brings and supports life. The sun, the fountain of light, is also the fountain of life: by his vivifying influences, all things live-neither animal nor vegetative life could exist, were it not for his influence. Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, Malachi 4:2, is the fountain of all spiritual and eternal LIFE. His light brings life with it, and they who walk in his light live in his life. This sentiment is beautifully expressed and illustrated in the following inimitable verse (all monosyllables except one word) of that second Spenser, Phineas Fletcher. Speaking of the conversion of a soul to God, he says:-

"New LIGHT new LOVE, new LOVE new LIFE hath bred;

A LIFE that lives by LOVE, and loves by LIGHT:

A LOVE to him, to whom all LOVES are wed;

A LIGHT, to whom the sun is darkest night:

Eye's LIGHT, heart's LOVE, soul's only LIFE he is:

LIFE, soul, love, heart, LIGHT, eye, and all are his:

He eye, LIGHT, heart, LOVE, soul; He all my joy and bliss."

PURPLE ISLAND, Can. I. v. 7.


Some suppose our Lord alludes to the custom of lighting lamps or torches, on the first day of the feast of tabernacles. But as these words seem to have been spoken the day after that last and great day of the feast, mentioned John 7:37, they may rather be considered as referring to the following custom: It has already been observed, that the Jews added a ninth day to this feast, which day they termed, The feast of joy for the law; and on that day they were accustomed to take all the sacred books out of the chest where they had been deposited, and put a lighted candle in their place, in allusion to Proverbs 6:23: For the commandment is a LAMP (or CANDLE) and the law is life: or to Psalms 119:105: Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet, and a LIGHT unto my path. If this custom existed in the time of our Lord, it is most likely that it is to it he here alludes; as it must have happened about the same time in which these words were spoken. See Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. xxi.

As the Messiah was frequently spoken of by the prophets under the emblem of light, see Isaiah 60:1; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 9:2, the Pharisees must at once perceive that he intended to recommend himself to the people as the Messiah, when he said, I am the light of the world.

The rabbins think that the Messiah is intended in Genesis 1:8, And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. "From this we may learn that the holy and blessed God saw the light of the Messiah and his works before the world was created; and reserved it for the Messiah, and his generation, under the throne of his glory. Satan said to the holy and blessed God, For whom dost thou reserve that light which is under the throne of thy glory? God answered: For him who shall subdue thee, and overwhelm thee with confusion. Satan rejoined, Lord of the universe, show that person to me! God said, Come and see him. When he saw him, he was greatly agitated, and fell upon his face, saying, Truly this is the Messiah, who shall cast me and idolaters into hell." Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 6. This is a very remarkable saying; and, as it might have existed in the time of our Lord, to it he might have alluded in the verse before us. The thing itself is true: the Messiah is the light of the world, and by him Satan's empire of idolatry is destroyed in the world, and the kingdom of light and life established. See several similar testimonies in Schoettgen.


 
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