Εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι· σὺ περὶ σεαυτοῦ μαρτυρεῖς· ἡ μαρτυρία σου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής. (John 8:13)
The Accusation Framed: Syntax of Confrontation
John 8:13 features a sharp interjection from the Pharisees in response to Jesus’ earlier declaration, “I am the light of the world.” Their rebuttal is legal, grammatical, and tactically arranged. This verse shows how Greek word order, emphatic pronouns, and predicate structure work together to form a challenge rooted in Jewish evidentiary standards (cf. Deut. 19:15).
The Subject Speaks: εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι
εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι
“So the Pharisees said to him”
- εἶπον – aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural of λέγω, introducing direct speech.
- οὖν – logical connective, “therefore” or “so,” linking back to Jesus’ prior statement (John 8:12).
- αὐτῷ – dative singular pronoun — “to him,” the recipient of the speech.
- οἱ Φαρισαῖοι – subject in nominative plural, placed after the verb for emphasis on the dialogue rather than the speaker.
This opening clause frames a legal confrontation, as the Pharisees assert that Jesus’ testimony is invalid because it is self-witness.
Emphatic Accusation: Σὺ περὶ σεαυτοῦ μαρτυρεῖς
Σὺ περὶ σεαυτοῦ μαρτυρεῖς
“You are bearing witness about yourself”
- Σὺ – 2nd person emphatic pronoun, placed first for emphasis: YOU bear witness.
- περὶ σεαυτοῦ – prepositional phrase, “about yourself.”
- μαρτυρεῖς – present active indicative, 2nd person singular of μαρτυρέω — “you testify.”
The Pharisees frame this as a self-referential act, which, in Jewish legal thought, lacks validity unless corroborated by others.
Judging the Testimony: ἡ μαρτυρία σου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής
ἡ μαρτυρία σου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής
“Your testimony is not true”
- ἡ μαρτυρία σου – “your testimony,” nominative subject with possessive genitive.
- οὐκ ἔστιν – present indicative of εἰμί, negated: “is not.”
- ἀληθής – predicate adjective meaning “true, valid, genuine.”
This is a judicial verdict, not just a statement of opinion. It’s legal disqualification: a testimony without corroboration is dismissed.
Table: Legal and Linguistic Structure
| Greek Phrase | Grammatical Role | Function | Interpretive Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Σὺ… μαρτυρεῖς | Emphatic pronoun + verb | Identifies self-witness | Suggests invalidity by Jewish legal standards |
| περὶ σεαυτοῦ | Prepositional phrase | Clarifies testimony is self-referential | Strengthens legal objection |
| ἡ μαρτυρία σου | Nominative subject | Focus of their critique | The testimony itself is under judgment |
| οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής | Negated predicate | Issues a legal rejection | Declares Jesus’ words legally inadmissible |
The Irony of Truth on Trial
The Pharisees’ accusation in John 8:13 is grammatically precise and judicially framed. Yet their legal logic fails to recognize who is speaking. Their insistence on external verification overlooks the divine identity of the one whose word is truth.
Grammatically, the force lies in the emphatic Σὺ, the self-witnessing subject, and the negated predicate — Your testimony is not true. But the irony is deep: the one who is Truth itself (John 14:6) is being rejected based on misapplied legal categories.
The syntax reflects the blindness of the accusers — and sets the stage for Jesus to defend the truth of His origin, identity, and mission in the verses that follow.
