Which one is the correct one?

Question

[John8:14] If I bear record of myself, yet my record is true.
[John5:31] If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

I'm confused, why are they contradicting?!

Answer 1

Dear Simple One,

Your question shows how it is not a good idea to pick a verse here and a verse there and try to understand the WHOLE picture.

Have you read the whole Bible? I think that would help you tremendously to understand. It would also help you to check what a good commentary says.

We can know that it is human understanding that is limited and that Jesus is not contradicting Himself. Afterall He is perfect.

There are several excellent study Bibles on the market these days that have footnotes as well as cross references to Scripture.

Check out The Life Application Bible or The NIV Study Bible or The Reformation Study Bible.

The footnote in the Reformation Study Bible for 5:31 says:
"Jesus' testimony would not be false even if He alone spoke it. By 'not true,' He means not permitted in court according to the Mosaic law (Deut.17:6; 19:15)."

So before making the assumption that there is a problem with the Bible it would be better to realize that you don't yet have all the information.

Answer 2

The law is, you must have two or three witnesses. In this scripture the Father and Jesus are bearing witness.

John 5:30-31

30- I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

31-If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

John 8:14-18
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
And yet if I judge,my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me,
It is also written in your law, that the testimony of TWO MEN IS TRUE.

I am ONE that bear witness of myself, and THE FATHER THAT SENT ME BEARETH WITNESS OF ME.

Answer 3

In St.John 8:14 it is talking about the Pharisees(who was an enemy of Christ) was always judging the Lord Jesus Christ and if you would read the whole chapter of St.John 8..it deals with the woman who was an adulterer and the Pharisees brought the woman to Christ wanting to tempt Him even more.. but Jesus told the woman, go and sin no more..The pharisees did not like that and so in the thirteenth verse Jesus tells the pharisees that He knew where He came from and whence He go.
In St.John 5:31 Jesus is speaking and what He is saying, that He is in the Father..He cannot tell you that His witness is true, because He is of the Father... Jesus spoke in the book of St.John and said, " I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE"..

Answer 4

I won't pretend that I am well versed in the Bible, but I find these quotes interesting nonetheless. I think they are both true depending on how you look at it. I take it the 8:14 means that introspection is the best mode for understanding the self, which I think is true because no one knows you as well as you do. But 5:31 also points out the fact that even self-knowledge is not 100% accurate. We have imperfect memories and distort reality to fit our wishes and concepts about the world.

Of course, since I am not well versed in the Bible, my answer could be totally wrong, in which case just don't listen to me.

Answer 5

This question serves primarily to demonstrate the faultiness of the questioner's chosen translation. Here are the same two citations from a well-respected modern translation with over 130 million copies in print:

(John 8:14-18) Even if I do bear witness about myself, my witness is true

(John 5:31) If I alone bear witness about myself, my witness is not true.

Both of these statements by Jesus came immediately after the Pharisees and their ilk made accusations against Jesus. The context makes it crystal clear that Jesus is saying that alone his testimony cannot be accepted, but his words must be accepted because a second testimony is available... that of his Father, the distinct person Jehovah God.

(Deuteronomy 19:15) No single witness should rise up against a man... At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good


This is actually one of the most difficult theological truths that Trinitarians must dance around when they pretend that Jesus the Son and Jehovah the Father are the same person. How could their testimony be that of two independent witnesses?

Here are the two citations fully in context...

(John 8:14-18) Jesus said to them: “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my witness is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But YOU do not know where I came from and where I am going. 15 YOU judge according to the flesh; I do not judge any man at all. 16 And yet if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me. 17 Also, in YOUR own Law it is written, ‘The witness of two men is true.’ 18 I am one that bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

(John 5:31-37) If I alone bear witness about myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that bears witness about me, and I know that the witness which he bears about me is true. 33 YOU have dispatched men to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 However, I do not accept the witness from man, but I say these things that YOU may be saved. 35 That man was a burning and shining lamp, and YOU for a short time were willing to rejoice greatly in his light. 36 But I have the witness greater than that of John, for the very works that my Father assigned me to accomplish, the works themselves that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father dispatched me. 37 Also, the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org
http://watchtower.org/bible/joh/chapter_008.htm#bk14
http://watchtower.org/bible/joh/chapter_005.htm#bk31
http://watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/bible

Answer 6

Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. (John 8:14) This passage indicates that He knows what He testifies about is true, but those who he is talking to, they do not know. So, therefore, truth is true, even if others don't know it.

"If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true." (John 5:31-32) This passage says that IF He were the only one testifying, it would not be true. BUT there is another who testifies of Him.

Both sections maintain that His testimony is Truth.

Answer 7

To bear record of is to proclaim it alive and to bear witness is to speak of. He is obviously saying I am a real man but I am only a man and do not think me to be anything more.

Answer 8

They are contradicting because the Bible is a work of fiction written by many different people over a period of centuries. For some more contradicitons, try

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html

Answer 9

the corrects may be the wrongs and the wrongs may probably be the correct ones

confused?
surely you are caused they're written by man

why not try something written without the pen?
cheerrio

Answer 10

Because they are out of context.