8:33a

We are Abraham’s descendants: The pronoun We is best treated as exclusive here. It is true that the speakers knew that Jesus was a son of Mary, and therefore a descendant of Abraham. However, they were not sure about his father. They spoke about themselves rather than him, as they responded to the “you” in the previous verse. (Jesus did not say, “the truth will make us (incl.) free.”) They said that as children of Israel they did not need to be set free. They believed that they were already spiritually free and that they belonged to God.

they answered: There are two ways to understand whom the pronoun they refers to here:

(1) It refers to Jesus’ opponents that have been the ones who talked to him in all of chapters 7 and 8.

(2) It refers to the Jews who believed in him in verses 30 and 31. That is the most recent plural noun that they could refer to.

Scholars are divided on the issue. Interpretation (2) appears to be a natural way to understand the pronoun. However, it seems more probable that they refers to Jesus’ opponents.

In verse 37, Jesus said that they were trying to kill him and that there was no place in them for his word. That does not sound like he was talking to the believers mentioned in 8:30–31. And in several places in John there are pronouns which refer to people not yet mentioned. Later, in verses 48 and 52, John identifies the ones who have been talking with Jesus. It is the same term that he uses for Jesus’ opponents.

When you translate the pronoun, it is recommended that you use the pronoun they as all English translations do. However, if you must make the pronoun clear, it is recommended that you refer to Jesus’ opponents.

8:33b

We have never been slaves to anyone: The Jewish speakers denied two things: they denied that they were slaves to anyone, and they denied that they had ever been slaves. Translate this as a statement that is emphasized. It is good to suggest a tone of anger. For example:

and have never been anyone’s slaves! (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
and we have never in our lives been any man’s slaves (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

slaves: This word refers to people who were owned by another person. They worked for their owner/master and did not receive wages. They had no rights of their own (or very few rights).

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to translate this word:

people who belonged to someone else
-or-
owned people
-or-
people who are forced to serve someone

Another way to translate this idea is to use a verb instead of a noun. (Actually, the Greek uses a verb form.) For example:

no one has ever forced us to serve them

8:33c

How can You say we will be set free?: This is a rhetorical question. They used it to criticize or rebuke. The speakers were upset that Jesus wanted to set them free. They considered that they were already spiritually free, that they already followed God in a good way. There are two ways to translate this rebuke:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?” (Good News Translation)
-or-
How can you say that we shall be set free? (New International Version)

• Use a statement that criticizes or rebukes Jesus. For example:

It does not make sense to say that we can be set free.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is most natural in your language.

we will be set free: This refers to what Jesus had said in 8:32b, “The truth will make you free.” You should translate the expression as it is here, and not make it agree exactly with what Jesus originally said. The verb set free is passive, and there are at least two ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

you will be made free (New Revised Standard Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

you will be free (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 8:33c

John 8:33c contains a direct quotation inside another direct quotation. The inner direct quotation is not an exact word-for-word report of what Jesus had said (in 8:32b). In some languages it is more natural to use an indirect quotation. The speakers will therefore refer to themselves as “we (excl.) ” rather than “you.” For example:

So why do you say we will be free? (New Century Version)

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