John 8:34 (DBY)

Passage

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Every one that practises sin is the bondman of sin.

Nearby Context

John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

John 8:33 They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never been under bondage to any one; how sayest thou, Ye shall become free?

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Every one that practises sin is the bondman of sin.

John 8:35 Now the bondman abides not in the house for ever: the son abides for ever.

John 8:36 If therefore the Son shall set you free, ye shall be really free.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jesus", "answered", "verily", "practises", and "bondman". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jesus" and "answered", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 33's "They answered him We are Abraham's seed..." into verse 35's "Now the bondman abides not in the...", so "jesus" and "answered" 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 "jesus" and "answered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.