JESUS HIMSELF says "I Am" (
Greek ei mi ) fifty-four
times in John's Gospel
(including when other
characters quote Jesus'
words). Twenty-four of these
are more emphatic, by
explicitly including the
pronoun "I" (Greek egw eimi
- bold references).
These emphatic references
can also be sub-divided into
"Absolute" or "Predicate"
statements, as explained
below.
John 4:26; 6:20; 6:35; 6:41;
6:48; 6:51; 7:28; 7:29;
7:33; 7:34; 7:36; 8:12;
8:16; 8:18; 8:23 (twice);
8:24; 8:28; 8:58; 9:5; 10:7;
10:9; 10:11; 10:14; 10:36;
11:25; 12:26; 13:13; 13:19;
13:33; 14:3; 14:6; 14:9;
15:1; 15:5; 16:32; 17:11;
17:14; 17:16; 17:24; 18:5;
18:6; 18:8; 18:37; 19:21
Absolute Emphatic "I AM"
Statements
In these sayings, there is
no predicate:
John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24, 28,
58; 13:19; 18:5, 6, 8
(Caution: the RSV and other
English Bibles often
translate this phrase, "I am
he", but the pronoun "he" is
not explicit in the Greek
text.)
Many interpreters believe
that the Johannine Jesus is
making divine claims with
these statements, since in
the Hebrew Bible the meaning
of God's name (YHWH) is
closely related to "I am"
(Exod 3:14; 6:2-3; Deut
32:39; Isa 43:25; 51:12;
etc.)
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To the Samaritan Woman at
Jacob's well near the town
of Sychar:
Jn. 4:26
- Jesus said to her, "I who
speak to you am (he)."
[lit.: "I am, the one
speaking with you."]
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To his disciples in the boat
while Jesus is walking on
the Sea of Galilee:
Jn. 6:20
but he said to them, "It is
I (lit. "I Am"); do not be
afraid."
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To "the Jews" in Jerusalem
at the Feast of Tabernacles:
Jn. 8:24
"I told you that you would
die in your sins, for you
will die in your sins unless
you believe that I am (he)."
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Jn. 8:28
So Jesus said, "When you
have lifted up the Son of
man, then you will know that
I am (he), and that I do
nothing on my own authority
but speak thus as the Father
taught me."
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Jn. 8:58
Jesus said to them, "Truly,
truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I am."
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To his disciples at the Last
Supper in Jerusalem:
Jn. 13:19
"I tell you this now, before
it takes place, that when it
does take place you may
believe that I am (he)."
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To the soldiers and guards
who come to arrest Jesus in
the Garden of Gethsemane:
Jn. 18:5
They answered him, "Jesus of
Nazareth." Jesus said to
them, "I am (he)." Judas,
who betrayed him, was
standing with them.
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Jn. 18:6
When he said to them, "I am
(he)," they drew back and
fell to the ground.
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Jn. 18:8
Jesus answered, "I told you
that I am (he); so, if you
seek me, let these men go."
Predicate
Emphatic "I Am" Statements
In these sayings, a
metaphorical image completes
the thought:
John 6:35, 41, 48, 51; 8:12,
18, 23 (twice); 10:7, 9, 11,
14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5
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To the crowds in Galilee
after the Feeding of the
5000:
Jn. 6:35 Jesus said to them,
"I am the bread of life; he
who comes to me shall not
hunger, and he who believes
in me shall never thirst.
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Jn. 6:41
The Jews then murmured at
him, because he said, "I am
the bread which came down
from heaven."
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Jn. 6:48
"I am the bread of life."
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Jn. 6:51
"I am the living bread which
came down from heaven; if
any one eats of this bread,
he will live for ever; and
the bread which I shall give
for the life of the world is
my flesh."
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To "the Jews" in Jerusalem
at the Feast of Tabernacles:
Jn. 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them,
saying, "I am the light of
the world; he who follows me
will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of
life."
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Jn. 8:18
"I bear witness to myself
(lit. "I am the one bearing
witness...") to myself, and
the Father who sent me bears
witness to me."
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Jn. 8:23
He said to them, "You are
from below, I am from above;
you are of this world, I am
not of this world."
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To "the Jews" just after
Jesus gives sight to the Man
Born Blind (the "Good
Shepherd Discourse"):
Jn. 10:7
So Jesus again said to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you,
I am the door of the sheep."
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Jn. 10:9
"I am the door; if any one
enters by me, he will be
saved, and will go in and
out and find pasture."
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Jn. 10:11
"I am the good shepherd. The
good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep."
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Jn. 10:14
"I am the good shepherd; I
know my own and my own know
me,"
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To Martha of Bethany, just
before Jesus raises her
brother Lazarus back to
life:
Jn. 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the
resurrection and the life;
he who believes in me,
though he die, yet shall he
live,"
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To his disciples at their
last meal together (the
"Last Supper Discourse"):
Jn. 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the
way, and the truth, and the
life; no one comes to the
Father, but by me.
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Jn. 15:1
"I am the true vine, and my
Father is the vinedresser."
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Jn. 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the
branches. He who abides in
me, and I in him, he it is
that bears much fruit, for
apart from me you can do
nothing."
