| Geneva Study Bible If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not {p} true. (p) Faithful, that is, worthy to be credited; see Joh 8:14. Wesley's Notes 5:31 If I testify of myself - That is, if I alone, (which indeed is impossible,) my testimony is not valid. Scofield Reference Notes [1] witness Cf. Jn 8:14. In Jn 5:31 our Lord, defending His Messianic claims before Jews who denied those claims, accepts the biblical rule of evidence, which required "two witnesses" Jn 8:17 Num 35:30 Dt 17:6. A paraphrase of verse Jn 5:31 would be: "If I bear witness of myself [ye will say] my witness is not true." Cf. Jn 8:14. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 31. If I . witness of myself-standing alone, and setting up any separate interest. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 5:30-38 Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had higher testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said. But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as they refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made effectual to the conversion of sinners, still proclaims that this is the beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased. But when the hearts of men are full of pride, ambition, and the love of the world, there is no room for the word of God to abide in them. | 
