8:38a

I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father: Jesus implied that he had been with his Father God before he came to earth. There in God’s presence he learned certain things, and it was these things that he now taught. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

What I’m saying is what I have seen in my Father’s presence. (God’s Word)
-or-
I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father. (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
What I speak of is what I have seen at my Father’s side. (New Jerusalem Bible)

in the presence of the Father: There is a textual issue here. Some Greek texts have “my Father’s presence” and some have the presence of the Father. Because the meaning of the two expressions is the same, use what is most natural in your language.

8:38b

and you do what you have heard from your father: There are two ways to understand this clause:

(1) It says that these people were doing what they learned from their own (spiritual) father. For example:

but you do what your father has told you (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word)

(2) It says that Jesus wanted these people to do what they heard from God. For example:

you should do what you have heard from the Father (New Revised Standard Version)

(New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as most English translations do.

you do what you have heard: The religious leaders had learned certain things from their spiritual father. Because Jesus did not say that they had heard this in a literal sense, it may be natural to say:

what you have learned (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
following the advice of your father (New Living Translation (2004))

you: The Greek text emphasizes the words “I” and you in this verse. This emphasis indicates a contrast between what Jesus did and what his hearers did. Here are ways that you can indicate this emphasis or contrast:

But you do what you’ve heard from your father. (God’s Word)
-or-

as for you, you do what your father told you to do

from your father: These notes recommend that you understand the expression your father to refer here to Satan, the spiritual father of Jesus’ enemies. Satan was their spiritual father because they obeyed him rather than God. In this context father is not a reference to God our heavenly Father. However, do not mention Satan in your translation until Jesus mentions him in 8:44.

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