John 8:19 (DRB)

Passage

They said therefore to him: Where is thy Father? Jesus answered: Neither me do you know, nor my Father. If you did know me, perhaps you would know my Father also.

Nearby Context

John 8:17 And in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.

John 8:18 I am one that give testimony of myself: and the Father that sent me giveth testimony of me.

John 8:19 They said therefore to him: Where is thy Father? Jesus answered: Neither me do you know, nor my Father. If you did know me, perhaps you would know my Father also.

John 8:20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, teaching in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

John 8:21 Again therefore Jesus said to them: I go: and you shall seek me. And you shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot come.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "said", "therefore", "where", "father", "jesus", "answered", and "neither". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "said" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "I am one that give testimony of..." into verse 20's "These words Jesus spoke in the treasury...", so "said" and "therefore" 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 "said" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.