John 8:12 (ASV)

Passage

Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Nearby Context

John 8:10 And Jesus lifted up himself, and said unto her, Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee?

John 8:11 And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.

John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true.

John 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "light", "darkness", "again", "therefore", "jesus", "spake", and "saying". It is saying that the contrast between light and darkness marks a real divide in how people respond to God's work.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "And she said No man Lord And..." into verse 13's "The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou...", so "world" and "light" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "world" and "light" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.