Bible Strands
John 8:12
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.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to the crowd present, immediately after dismissing the woman caught in adultery and immediately before the Pharisees object that His self-testimony is invalid.
The words — ἐγώ (egō) is the emphatic first person, "I myself," marking the statement as a self-identification rather than a description.
The thread — The same "light of the world" claim appears in John 9:5 and John 12:46, and John 12:35 adds the urgency of walking while the Light is still present.
Why it lands — The verse is a fork: follow or don't, with the consequence stated in each direction. It asks the reader to decide, not merely to admire.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
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.
Cross-references
- John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- Job 33:28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
- John 1:4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- Psalms 18:28 For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.
- John 3:19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
- Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
- Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.