John 8:57
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Then said the Jews to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
American King James Version (AKJV)
Then said the Jews to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
American Standard Version (ASV)
The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Then the Jews said to him, You are not fifty years old; have you seen Abraham?
Webster's Revision
Then said the Jews to him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
World English Bible
The Jews therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
English Revised Version (ERV)
The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Definitions for John 8:57
Clarke's John 8:57 Bible Commentary
Thou art not yet fifty years old - Some MSS. read forty. The age of our blessed Lord has never been properly determined. Some of the primitive fathers believed that he was fifty years old when he was crucified; but their foundation, which is no other than these words of the Jews, is but a very uncertain one. Calmet thinks that our Lord was at this time about thirty-four years and ten months old, and that he was crucified about the middle of his thirty-sixth year; and asserts that the vulgar era is three years too late. On the other hand, some allow him to have been but thirty-one years old, and that his ministry had lasted but one year. Many opinions on this subject, which are scarcely worthy of being copied, may be found in Calmet.
Barnes's John 8:57 Bible Commentary
Fifty years old - Jesus is supposed to have been at this time about the age of 33. It is remarkable that when he was so young they should have mentioned the number 50, but they probably designed to prevent the possibility of a reply. Had they said 40 they might have apprehended a reply, or could not be so certain that they were correct.
Hast thou seen Abraham? - It is remarkable, also, that they perverted his words. His affirmation was not that he had seen Abraham, but that Abraham had seen his day. The design of Jesus was to show that he was greater than Abraham, John 8:53. To do this, he says that Abraham, great as he was, earnestly desired to see his time, thus acknowledging his inferiority to the Messiah. The Jews perverted this, and affirmed that it was impossible that he and Abraham should have seen each other.
Wesley's John 8:57 Bible Commentary
8:57 Thou art not yet fifty years old — At the most. Perhaps the gravity of our Lord's countenance, together with his afflictions and labours, might make him appear older than he really was.
Hast thou seen Abraham — Which they justly supposed must have been, if Abraham had seen him.