JESUS HIMSELF says "I Am" ( Greek ei)mi ) forty–five times in John's Gospel (including when other characters quote Jesus' words). Twenty–four of these are emphatic, explicitly including the pronoun "I" (Greek e)gw/ ei)mi – bold references), which would not be necessary in Greek grammar. 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

John the Baptizer (1:20; 1:21; 1:27; 3:28–twice); The Man Born Blind (9:9); Simon Peter (18:17; 18:25); and Pontius Pilate (18:35).

In all other NEW TESTAMENT books, “I am” occurs a total of eighty–six times, of which only twenty–eight are emphatic (Matt 14:27; 22:32; 24:5; 26:22, 25; Mark 6:50; 13:6; 14:62; Luke 1:19; 21:8; 22:70; 24:39; Acts 9:5; 10:21; 11:5; 18:10; 22:3, 8, 19; 26:15, 29; Heb 1:5; 2:13; Rev 1:8, 17; 2:23; 21:6; 22:16)

In the HEBREW BIBLE, the meaning of God's name (YHWH) is closely related to "I am" (see Exod 3:14; 6:2; Deut 32:39; Isa 43:25; 48:12; 51:12; etc.). In the LXX, most of these passages are translated with the Greek expression e)gw/ ei)mi:

Exod 3:14 – God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."
Exod 6:2 – And God said to Moses, "I am the LORD."
Deut 32:39a – "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me;"
Isa 48:12 – "Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am He, I am the first, and I am the last."

To the Samaritan Woman at Jacob's well near the town of Sychar:
4:26 – le/gei au)tv= o(   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Egw¯ ei  ¹mi, o( lalw½n soi. – Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am (he)." [lit. "I am, the one speaking with you."]

To his disciples in the boat while Jesus is walking on the Sea of Galilee:
6:20 – o( de\ le/gei au)toiÍj,   ¹Egw¯ ei  ¹mi, mh\ fobeiÍsqe. – but he said to them, "It is I (lit. "I Am"); do not be afraid."

To "the Jews" in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles:
8:24 – eiåpon ouÅn u(miÍn oÀti a)poqaneiÍsqe e)n taiÍj a(marti¿aij u(mw½n: e)a\n ga\r mh\ pisteu/shte oÀti e)gw¯ ei  ¹mi, a)poqaneiÍsqe e)n taiÍj a(marti¿aij u(mw½n. – "I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am (he)."

8:28 – eiåpen ouÅn [au)toiÍj] o(   ¹Ihsou=j,   àOtan u(yw¯shte to\n ui¸o\n tou= a)nqrw¯pou, to/te gnw¯sesqe oÀti e)gw¯ ei  ¹mi, kaiì a)p' e)mautou= poiw½ ou)de/n, a)lla\ kaqwÜj e)di¿dace/n me o( path\r tau=ta lalw½. – 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."

8:58 – eiåpen au)toiÍj   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Amh\n a)mh\n le/gw u(miÍn, priìn   ¹Abraa\m gene/sqai e)gwÜ ei  ¹mi¿. – Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."

To his disciples at the Last Supper in Jerusalem:
13:19 – a)p' aÃrti le/gw u(miÍn pro\tou= gene/sqai, iàna pisteu/shte oÀtan ge/nhtai oÀti e)gw¯ ei  ¹mi. – "I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am (he)."

To the soldiers and guards who come to arrest Jesus in the Garden in the Kidron Valley (Gethsemane):
18:5 – a)pekri¿qhsan au)t%½,   ¹Ihsou=n to\n NazwraiÍon. le/gei au)toiÍj,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi. ei¸sth/kei de\kaiì ¹Iou/daj o( paradidou\j au)to\n met' au)tw½n. – They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am (he)." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

18:6 – w¨j ouÅn eiåpen au)toiÍj,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi, a)ph=lqon ei¹j ta\ o)pi¿sw kaiì eÃpesan xamai¿. – When he said to them, "I am (he)," they drew back and fell to the ground.

18:8 – a)pekri¿qh ¹Ihsou=j, Eiåpon u(miÍn oÀti e)gw¯ ei¹mi: ei¹ ouÅn e)me\ zhteiÍte, aÃfete tou/touj u(pa/gein. – Jesus answered, "I told you that I am (he); so, if you seek me, let these men go."

To the crowds in Galilee after the Feeding of the 5000 (in the "Bread of Life Discourse"):
6:35 – eiåpen au)toiÍj o(   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi o( aÃrtoj th=j zwh=j: o( e)rxo/menoj pro/j e)me\ ou) mh\ peina/sv, kaiì o( pisteu/wn ei¹j e)me\ ou) mh\ diyh/sei pw¯pote. – 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."

6:41 –   ¹Ego/gguzon ouÅn oi¸   ¹IoudaiÍoi periì au)tou= oÀti eiåpen,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi o( aÃrtoj o( kataba\j e)k tou= ou)ranou= – The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven."

6:48 – e)gw¯ ei¹mi o( aÃrtoj th=j zwh=j. – "I am the bread of life."

6:51 – e)gw¯ ei¹mi o( aÃrtoj o( zw½n o( e)k tou= ou)ranou= kataba/j: e)a/n tij fa/gv e)k tou/tou tou= aÃrtou zh/sei ei¹j to\n ai¹w½na, kaiì o( aÃrtoj de\ oÁn e)gwÜ dw¯sw h( sa/rc mou/ e)stin u(pe\r th=j tou= ko/smou zwh=j. – "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."

To "the Jews" in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles:
8:12 – Pa/lin ouÅn au)toiÍj e)la/lhsen o(   ¹Ihsou=j le/gwn,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi to\ fw½j tou= ko/smou: o( a)kolouqw½n e)moiì ou) mh\ peripath/sv e)n tv= skoti¿#, a)ll' eÀcei to\ fw½j th=j zwh=j. – 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." (cf. 9:5 – "I am the light of the world", but grammatically unemphatic, without "ego")

8:18 – e)gw¯ ei¹mi o( marturw½n periì e)mautou= kaiì martureiÍ periì e)mou= o( pe/myaj me path/r. – "I bear witness to myself (lit. "I am the one bearing witness...") to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me."

8:23 (twice) – kaiì eÃlegen au)toiÍj,   ¸UmeiÍj e)k tw½n ka/tw e)ste/, e)gwÜ e)k tw½n aÃnw ei¹mi¿: u(meiÍj e)k tou/tou tou= ko/smou e)ste/, e)gwÜ ou)k ei¹miì e)k tou= ko/smou tou/tou. – He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world."

To "the Jews" just after Jesus gives sight to the Man Born Blind (the "Good Shepherd Discourse"):
10:7 – Eiåpen ouÅn pa/lin o(   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Amh\n a)mh\n le/gw u(miÍn oÀti e)gw¯ ei¹mi h( qu/ra tw½n proba/twn. – So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep."

10:9 – e)gw¯ ei¹mi h( qu/ra: di' e)mou= e)a/n tij ei¹se/lqv swqh/setai kaiì ei¹seleu/setai kaiì e)celeu/setai kaiì nomh\n eu(rh/sei. – "I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

10:11 –   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi o( poimh\n o( kalo/j: o( poimh\n o( kalo\j th\n yuxh\n au)tou= ti¿qhsin u(pe\r tw½n proba/twn. – "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

10:14 –   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi o( poimh\n o( kalo/j kaiì ginw¯skw ta\ e)ma\ kaiì ginw¯skousi¿ me ta\ e)ma/, – "I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,"

To Martha of Bethany, just before Jesus raises her brother Lazarus back to life:
11:25 – eiåpen au)tv= o(   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi h( a)na/stasij kaiì h( zwh/: o( pisteu/wn ei¹j e)me\ kaÄn a)poqa/nv zh/setai, – Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,"

To his disciples at their last meal together (the "Last Supper Discourse"):
14:6 – le/gei au)t%½ [o(]   ¹Ihsou=j,   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi h( o(do\j kaiì h( a)lh/qeia kaiì h( zwh/: ou)deiìj eÃrxetai pro\j to\n pate/ra ei¹ mh\ di' e)mou=. – Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me."

15:1 –   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi h( aÃmpeloj h( a)lhqinh/, kaiì o( path/r mou o( gewrgo/j e)stin. – "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser."

15:5 – e)gw¯ ei¹mi h( aÃmpeloj, u(meiÍj ta\ klh/mata. o( me/nwn e)n e)moiì ka)gwÜ e)n au)t%½ ouÂtoj fe/rei karpo\n polu/n, oÀti xwriìj e)mou= ou) du/nasqe poieiÍn ou)de/n. – "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."

To "the Jews" in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles:
7:28 – eÃkracen ouÅn e)n t%½ i¸er%½ dida/skwn o(   ¹Ihsou=j kaiì le/gwn, Ka)me\ oiãdate kaiì oiãdate po/qen ei¹mi¿: kaiì a)p' e)mautou= ou)k e)lh/luqa, a)ll' eÃstin a)lhqino\j o( pe/myaj me, oÁn u(meiÍj ou)k oiãdate. – So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from [lit. "from where I am"]? But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him you do not know."

7:29 – e)gwÜ oiåda au)to/n, oÀti par' au)tou= ei¹mi ka)keiÍno/j me a)pe/steilen. – "I know him, for I come from him (lit. "from him I am"), and he sent me."

7:33 – eiåpen ouÅn o( ¹Ihsou=j, ãEti xro/non mikro\n meq' u(mw½n ei¹mi kaiì u(pa/gw pro\j to\n pe/myanta/ me. – Jesus then said, "I shall be with you a little longer, and then I go to him who sent me;"

7:34 – zhth/sete/ me kaiì ou)x eu(rh/sete/ [me], kaiì oÀpou ei¹miì e)gwÜ u(meiÍj ou) du/nasqe e)lqeiÍn. – "...you will seek me and you will not find me; where I am you cannot come."

7:36 – ti¿j e)stin o( lo/goj ouÂtoj oÁn eiåpen, Zhth/sete/ me kaiì ou)x eu(rh/sete/ [me], kaiì oÀpou ei¹miì e)gwÜ u(meiÍj ou) du/nasqe e)lqeiÍn; – "What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"

8:16 – kaiì e)a\n kri¿nw de\ e)gw¯, h( kri¿sij h( e)mh\ a)lhqinh/ e)stin, oÀti mo/noj ou)k ei¹mi¿, a)ll' e)gwÜ kaiì o( pe/myaj me path/r. – "Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me."

To his disciples, just before Jesus gives sight to the Man Born Blind:
9:5 – oÀtan e)n t%½ ko/sm% wÕ, fw½j ei¹mi tou= ko/smou. – "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

To "the Jews" in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Dedication:
10:36 – oÁn o( path\r h(gi¿asen kaiì a)pe/steilen ei¹j to\n ko/smon u(meiÍj le/gete oÀti BlasfhmeiÍj, oÀti eiåpon, Ui¸o\j tou= qeou= ei¹mi; – "Do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?"

To some of his disciples while Jesus speaks of his coming "hour" of glorification:
12:26 – e)a\n e)moi¿ tij diakonv=, e)moiì a)kolouqei¿tw, kaiì oÀpou ei¹miì e)gwÜ e)keiÍ kaiì o( dia/konoj o( e)mo\j eÃstai: e)a/n tij e)moiì diakonv= timh/sei au)to\n o( path/r. – "If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him."

To his disciples just after Jesus washes their feet at the Last Supper:
13:13 – u(meiÍj fwneiÍte/ me   ¸O dida/skaloj kaiì   ¸O ku/rioj, kaiì kalw½j le/gete, ei¹miì ga/r. – "You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am."

To his disciples at their last meal together (the "Last Supper Discourse"):
13:33 – tekni¿a, eÃti mikro\n meq' u(mw½n ei¹mi: zhth/sete/ me, kaiì kaqwÜj eiåpon toiÍj   ¹Ioudai¿oij oÀti   àOpou e)gwÜ u(pa/gw u(meiÍj ou) du/nasqe e)lqeiÍn, kaiì u(miÍn le/gw aÃrti. – "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, Where I am going you cannot come."

14:3 – kaiì e)a\n poreuqw½ kaiì e(toima/sw to/pon u(miÍn, pa/lin eÃrxomai kaiì paralh/myomai u(ma=j pro\j e)mauto/n, iàna oÀpou ei¹miì e)gwÜ kaiì u(meiÍj hÅte. – "And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

14:9 – le/gei au)t%½ o( ¹Ihsou=j, Tosou/t% xro/n% meq' u(mw½n ei¹mi kaiì ou)k eÃgnwka/j me, Fi¿lippe; o( e(wrakwÜj e)me\ e(w¯raken to\n pate/ra: pw½j su\ le/geij, DeiÍcon h(miÍn to\n pate/ra; – Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

16:32 – i¹dou\ eÃrxetai wÐra kaiì e)lh/luqen iàna skorpisqh=te eÀkastoj ei¹j ta\ iãdia ka)me\ mo/non a)fh=te: kaiì ou)k ei¹miì mo/noj, oÀti o( path\r met' e)mou= e)stin. – "The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me."

In the great prayer that Jesus addresses to the Father:
17:11 – kaiì ou)ke/ti ei¹miì e)n t%½ ko/sm%, kaiì au)toiì e)n t%½ ko/sm% ei¹si¿n, ka)gwÜ pro\j se\ eÃrxomai. Pa/ter aÀgie, th/rhson au)tou\j e)n t%½ o)no/mati¿ sou wÒ de/dwka/j moi, iàna wÕsin eÁn kaqwÜj h(meiÍj. – "And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one."

17:14 – e)gwÜ de/dwka au)toiÍj to\n lo/gon sou kaiì o( ko/smoj e)mi¿shsen au)tou/j, oÀti ou)k ei¹siìn e)k tou= ko/smou kaqwÜj e)gwÜ ou)k ei¹miì e)k tou= ko/smou. – "I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

17:16 – e)k tou= ko/smou ou)k ei¹siìn kaqwÜj e)gwÜ ou)k ei¹miì e)k tou= ko/smou. – "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

17:24 – Pa/ter, oÁ de/dwka/j moi, qe/lw iàna oÀpou ei¹miì e)gwÜ ka)keiÍnoi wÕsin met' e)mou=, iàna qewrw½sin th\n do/can th\n e)mh\n, hÁn de/dwka/j moi oÀti h)ga/phsa/j me pro\ katabolh=j ko/smou. – "Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the world."

To Pilate during the trial of Jesus:
18:37 – eiåpen ouÅn au)t%½ o( Pila=toj, Ou)kou=n basileu\j eiå su/; a)pekri¿qh o(   ¹Ihsou=j, Su\ le/geij oÀti basileu/j ei¹mi. e)gwÜ ei¹j tou=to gege/nnhmai kaiì ei¹j tou=to e)lh/luqa ei¹j to\n ko/smon, iàna marturh/sw tv= a)lhqei¿#: pa=j o( wÔn e)k th=j a)lhqei¿aj a)kou/ei mou th=j fwnh=j. – Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."

Just after the crucifixion of Jesus:
19:21 – eÃlegon ouÅn t%½ Pila/t% oi¸ a)rxiereiÍj tw½n   ¹Ioudai¿wn, Mh\ gra/fe:   ¸O basileu\j tw½n   ¹Ioudai¿wn, a)ll' oÀti e)keiÍnoj eiåpen, Basileu/j ei¹mi tw½n   ¹Ioudai¿wn. – The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"

John the Baptist:

1:20 – kaiì w¨molo/ghsen kaiì ou)k h)rnh/sato, kaiì w¨molo/ghsen oÀti   ¹EgwÜ ou)k ei¹miì o( Xristo/j. – He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."

1:21 – kaiì h)rw¯thsan au)to/n, Ti¿ ouÅn; Su/   ¹Hli¿aj eiå; kaiì le/gei, Ou)k ei¹mi¿.   ¸O profh/thj eiå su/; kaiì a)pekri¿qh, OuÃ. – And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No."

1:27 – o( o)pi¿sw mou e)rxo/menoj, ou ou)k ei¹miì [e)gwÜ] aÃcioj iàna lu/sw au)tou= to\n i¸ma/nta tou= u(podh/matoj. – "...even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

3:28 (twice) – au)toiì u(meiÍj moi martureiÍte oÀti eiåpon [oÀti] Ou)k ei¹miì e)gwÜ o( Xristo/j, a)ll' oÀti ¹Apestalme/noj ei¹miì eÃmprosqen e)kei¿nou. – "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent (lit. "I am the one sent") before him."

9:9 – aÃlloi eÃlegon oÀti OuÂto/j e)stin, aÃlloi eÃlegon, Ou)xi¿, a)lla\ oÀmoioj au)t%½ e)stin. e)keiÍnoj eÃlegen oÀti   ¹Egw¯ ei¹mi. – Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am (the man)."

18:17 – le/gei ouÅn t%½ Pe/tr% h( paidi¿skh h( qurwro/j, Mh\ kaiì su\ e)k tw½n maqhtw½n eiå tou= a)nqrw¯pou tou/tou; le/gei e)keiÍnoj, Ou)k ei¹mi¿. – The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."

18:25 –   åHn de\ Si¿mwn Pe/troj e(stwÜj kaiì qermaino/menoj. eiåpon ouÅn au)t%½, Mh\ kaiì su\ e)k tw½n maqhtw½n au)tou= eiå; h)rnh/sato e)keiÍnoj kaiì eiåpen, Ou)k ei¹mi¿. – Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, "Are not you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not."

18:35 – a)pekri¿qh o( Pila=toj, Mh/ti e)gwÜ   ¹IoudaiÍo/j ei¹mi; to\ eÃqnoj to\ so\n kaiì oi¸ a)rxiereiÍj pare/dwka/n se e)moi¿: ti¿ e)poi¿hsaj; – Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?"

Return to the Introductory Materials for the Fourth Gospel

---

This page was last updated on February 7, 2007
Copyright © 1999--2007 by Felix Just, S.J.