John 8:56-59 reports the following conversation between Jesus and a group of Jews: “56 ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.’ 57 So the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ 58 Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’ 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” (ESV)
The vast majority of Bible translations agree that John 8:58 should be rendered substantially like this: “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. [Greek: ego eimi]’”
In contrast, the Watchtower Bible renders that verse: “Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.’” Continue reading
