John 8:58

Verse 58. Verily, verily. This is an expression used only in John. It is a strong affirmation denoting particularly the great importance of what was about to be affirmed. See Barnes "Joh 3:5". Before Abraham was. Before Abraham lived. I am. The expression I am, though in the present tense, is clearly designed to refer to a past time. Thus, in Ps 90:2, "From everlasting to everlasting thou art God." Applied to God, it denotes continued existence without respect to time, so far as he is concerned. We divide time into the past, the present, and the future.