The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, “Appendix 2F: Jesus—In Existence Before Abraham”
“The action expressed in John 8:58 started “before Abraham came into existence” and is still in progress. In such situation εἰμί (ei·miʹ), which is the first-person singular present indicative, is properly translated by the perfect indicative.”
The appendix supports the rendering with G. B. Winer's grammar (7th ed., Andover, 1897, p. 267) and Moulton–Turner, A Grammar of New Testament Greek, Vol. III (Edinburgh, 1963, p. 62), both of which do cite John 8:58 as an example of the 'present of past action still in progress'. It also lists five early Syriac, Georgian and Ethiopic versions rendering 'I was'.
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Provenance and verification note for The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Appendix 2F: Jesus—In Existence Before Abraham
Confidence note. Appendix opened in full on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; page markers 1145 and 1146 read from the page-number spans. I confirmed the appendix's wording; I did not open Winer or Moulton–Turner to check the quotations against the printed grammars.
Corroborated by. src-nwtv-nwtsty-note-john-8-58
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-nwtv-int-app2f