That is why I told you that you would die in your sins.In this passage, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders, emphasizing the gravity of unbelief. The phrase "die in your sins" indicates a spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. This concept is rooted in the Old Testament, where sin leads to death (
Ezekiel 18:4). The context of this statement is Jesus' ongoing dialogue with the religious leaders who are questioning His authority and identity. The phrase underscores the consequence of rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, a theme consistent throughout the New Testament (
Romans 6:23).
For unless you believe that I am He,
The phrase "I am He" is significant, as it echoes the divine name revealed to Moses inExodus 3:14, where God declares, "I AM WHO I AM." This connection to the divine name suggests Jesus' claim to deity, a central tenet of Christian theology. The requirement to "believe" is a recurring theme in the Gospel of John, emphasizing faith as the means of salvation (John 3:16). The cultural context of first-century Judaism, with its strict monotheism, makes this claim particularly provocative and controversial, as it challenges the established religious understanding.
you will die in your sins.”
Reiterating the consequence of unbelief, this phrase serves as a warning. The repetition of "die in your sins" highlights the seriousness of rejecting Jesus. In the broader biblical narrative, sin is the barrier between humanity and God, and only through Jesus can this barrier be removed (John 14:6). The historical context of this statement is crucial, as Jesus is speaking to a people who are awaiting a Messiah, yet many fail to recognize Him. This warning is prophetic, pointing to the ultimate judgment that awaits those who do not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristThe central figure in this passage, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and the people in the temple courts, asserting His divine identity and the necessity of belief in Him for salvation.
2.
PhariseesA religious group in Judaism known for strict adherence to the Law and traditions. They often opposed Jesus and questioned His authority and identity.
3.
Temple CourtsThe setting of this discourse, a place where Jesus often taught and engaged with both followers and skeptics.
4.
Jewish AudienceThe broader group of listeners, including both believers and skeptics, who are challenged by Jesus' claim to divinity.
5.
SinA central theme in this passage, representing the state of separation from God that Jesus warns will lead to spiritual death without belief in Him.
Teaching Points
The Necessity of Faith in ChristBelief in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God is essential for salvation. Without this faith, one remains in sin and faces spiritual death.
Understanding Jesus' Divine IdentityJesus' use of "I am He" connects to God's self-revelation in the Old Testament, affirming His divinity and authority.
The Urgency of DecisionThe warning of dying in sin underscores the urgency of making a decision about Jesus. This is not a matter to be postponed.
The Consequence of UnbeliefSpiritual death is the ultimate consequence of rejecting Jesus. This passage calls for self-examination of one's faith and relationship with Christ.
Living Out FaithTrue belief in Jesus should manifest in a transformed life, characterized by obedience and alignment with His teachings.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of John 8:24?
2.How does John 8:24 emphasize the necessity of believing in Jesus for salvation?
3.What does "you will die in your sins" reveal about rejecting Christ?
4.How does John 8:24 connect with John 14:6 about Jesus being the way?
5.In what ways can we strengthen our belief in Jesus daily?
6.How should John 8:24 influence our approach to evangelism and witnessing?
7.What does John 8:24 mean by "you will die in your sins"?
8.How does John 8:24 emphasize the necessity of believing in Jesus' divinity?
9.Why is belief in Jesus crucial according to John 8:24?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from John 8?
11.Is Jesus considered to be Yahweh in Christianity?
12.Am I assured of my salvation?
13.What does the Bible say about unbelief?
14.In 1 John 4:3, how do we reconcile the warning about denying Jesus with passages suggesting God’s inclusive mercy elsewhere in the Bible?What Does John 8:24 Mean
That is why I told youJesus is responding to the religious leaders who rejected His earlier words (John 8:21–23).
• He reminds them He has already warned them; the repetition underscores the certainty of His message, just as prophets often repeated divine warnings (Jeremiah 7:13).
• Christ’s word is perfectly reliable—“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
that you would die in your sins• “Die in your sins” speaks of physical death while still under the guilt of sin, separated from God (Romans 6:23).
•Ezekiel 18:20 affirms individual accountability: “The soul who sins is the one who will die.”
• Without atonement, sin’s penalty remains (John 3:18).
For unless you believe• Salvation hinges on personal faith, not heritage or works (John 1:12;Ephesians 2:8-9).
•Hebrews 11:6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
• The Philippian jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31).
that I am He• Jesus claims the divine name and messianic identity foretold inIsaiah 43:10—“that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.”
•John 14:6 counters all alternatives: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
•John 20:31 declares the Gospel’s purpose: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
you will die in your sins• Rejecting Christ leaves the sin debt unpaid, leading to eternal separation (Revelation 20:14-15).
• In contrast, those who hear and believe “have passed from death to life” (John 5:24).
• “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
summaryJohn 8:24 delivers a sober, loving warning: every person stands at a crossroads. Persist in unbelief, and sin remains, bringing eternal death. Believe that Jesus is exactly who He claims—the divine Savior—and His atoning work removes every sin, granting everlasting life.
(24)
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins.--He now further explains what He meant by these words in
John 8:21. The words, as they are twice repeated in this verse, differ in two particulars from their earlier form. One is, that the singular substantive "sin" has given place to the plural "sins." He brings home to them the definite and known acts of sin which resulted from their sinful state. Another is, that the order of the words is changed. It is not so easy to preserve this in English; but we may read in
John 8:21 "
In your sin ye shall die," and here "
Ye shall die in your sins." The believing not is itself a state of sin. (Comp.
John 16:9.) It is a separation from the only source of life, and is necessarily accompanied by death.
If ye believe not that I am he.--The word "He" is not found in the Greek text, and this is marked by the italics in English; but they have been thinking and speaking of the Messiah, though the name has not been mentioned sinceJohn 7:42. It wasthe name ever first in their thoughts, and our version represents the generally received interpretation. It may, however, be doubted whether this interpretation gives to us the full meaning of the words "I am," as used in this absolute way by our Lord, and as recorded in this Gospel. Within this same chapter they meet us again inJohn 8:28;John 8:58, and in the account of the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane we find them repeated. (See Notes onJohn 18:5et seq.) The words had a sacred history which told of the revelation of Jehovah to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Uttered as they were by Him who had just claimed to be "from above" and to be "not of this world," and uttered as they were within the precincts of Jehovah's Temple, and in the presence of His priests and people, they may well have carried to their minds this deeper meaning, and have been intended as a declaration of His divine existence. The meaning then would be, "If ye believe not that I am, that in Me there is existence which is the life of all who receive it, ye must die in your sins." . . .
Verse 24. -
Therefore I said unto you, Ye shall die in your sins: for if ye shall not have believed that I am (HE),
ye will die in your sins. This last clause, "for," etc., gives our Lord's reason in full for the terrific fact. It is a virtual reference of the unregenerate, earthly, low-born condition of his hearers to the fact of their unbelief in him. This fleshly, worldly state may be, might be, reversed by their faith in his essential character, an adequate moral surrender to his claims. Let them believe him to be that which he really is, the separation would then cease, and, like himself, they too might be "called out of the world." They might be "born of the Spirit," enter into the fellowship of the Son of God, become "not of this world," "even as he is not of this world." They might "arise, and go to their Father." There is no impassable chasm between them, though it is an appalling one to be crossed only by a faith which is itself the form and essence of regeneration. The faith is especially defined. Three times in this chapter our Lord represents the object of faith, the central focus of the Divine revelation, to be "I AM." The predicate is unexpressed here, and the same may be said in ver. 28 and ver. 58. Elsewhere the predicate may easily be gathered from the context (
John 9:9;
John 18:5, 6, 8;
Mark 13:6;
Luke 21:8). Meyer and many others have said, "The true predicate here is 'the
Christ:' 'I am the coming One,' 'the promised One,' 'the Sent of God.'" It is a somewhat dubious proceeding to draw the central idea of this chapter from an unexpressed ellipsis. The "
Iam" of these passages cannot be regarded as equivalent to the "I am that I am" of Exodus, or to the incommunicable name of the eternal One, but it is analogous to it. Throughout the prophets the unique and solitary grandeur of the Divine nature in its special covenant relations with Israel is expressed by the phrase, "I AM HE." This was the sum of the object of the Old Testament faith (
Deuteronomy 32:39;
Isaiah 41:13;
Isaiah 43:10, etc.). In like manner, the fulness of the Divine Ego in the incarnate Word is inexpressible by any one predicate. His entire revelation of himself had given this amplitude and indefinable breadth to his Personality. He had called himself the Son of God, the living Water, the veritable Bread, the Bread of God and of heaven, the Light of the world. He was indefinitely more than the current, popular idea of the Christ, immeasurably different from that which they persisted in expecting. Faith in that he is, in what he is, and in what he has revealed to them, is the germ of the life eternal. To refuse this faith is to refuse the hope that breaks over the gloom of
Sheol, and to leave the full burden of sin upon the conscience. Compare St. Paul's words (
1 Corinthians 15:17, 18), "If Christ be not risen... ye are yet in your sins."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
That is whyοὖν(oun)Conjunction
Strong's 3767:Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.I toldεἶπον(eipon)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2036:Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.youὑμῖν(hymin)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.thatὅτι(hoti)Conjunction
Strong's 3754:Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.you would dieἀποθανεῖσθε(apothaneisthe)Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 599:To be dying, be about to die, wither, decay. From apo and thnesko; to die off.inἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.yourὑμῶν(hymōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.sins.ἁμαρτίαις(hamartiais)Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 266:From hamartano; a sin.Forγὰρ(gar)Conjunction
Strong's 1063:For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.unlessἐὰν(ean)Conjunction
Strong's 1437:If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.you believeπιστεύσητε(pisteusēte)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4100:From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.thatὅτι(hoti)Conjunction
Strong's 3754:Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.Iἐγώ(egō)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.am [He],εἰμι(eimi)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.you will dieἀποθανεῖσθε(apothaneisthe)Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 599:To be dying, be about to die, wither, decay. From apo and thnesko; to die off.inἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.yourὑμῶν(hymōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.sins.”ἁμαρτίαις(hamartiais)Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 266:From hamartano; a sin.
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NT Gospels: John 8:24 I said therefore to you that you (Jhn Jo Jn) 
