Discovery BoxJohn 8:41-42 
Context8:41 You people 1 are doing the deeds of your father.”
Then 2 they said to Jesus, 3 “We were not born as a result of immorality! 4 We have only one Father, God himself.” 8:42 Jesus replied, 5 “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. 6 I 7 have not come on my own initiative, 8 but he 9 sent me.
John 8:54-55
Context8:54 Jesus replied, 10 “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. 11 The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people 12 say, ‘He is our God.’ 8:55 Yet 13 you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, 14 I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey 15 his teaching. 16
1 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
2 tc ‡ Important and early witnesses (א B L W 070 it sys,p co) lack the conjunction here, while the earliest witnesses along with many others read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; Ì66,75 C D Θ Ψ 0250 Ë13 33 Ï). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the combined testimony of two early papyri for the conjunction is impressive, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 52). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA27 has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
3 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
4 sn We were not born as a result of immorality! is ironic, because Jesus’ opponents implied that it was not themselves but Jesus who had been born as a result of immoral behavior. This shows they did not know Jesus’ true origin and were not aware of the supernatural events surrounding his birth. The author does not even bother to refute the opponents’ suggestion but lets it stand, assuming his readers will know the true story.
5 tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”
6 tn Or “I came from God and have arrived.”
7 tn Grk “For I.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
8 tn Grk “from myself.”
9 tn Grk “that one” (referring to God).
10 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
11 tn Grk “is nothing.”
12 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
14 tn Grk “If I say, ‘I do not know him.’”
15 tn Grk “I keep.”
16 tn Grk “his word.”
