In the Gospel of John, Jesus describes himself using seven images: bread, light, door, shepherd, resurrection, way, vine. Each begins with "I am". Here you will find the seven I am statements in full, their context, and additional verses, totaling 19 Bible verses.
The seven I am statements
In the order in which they appear in the Gospel of John.
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But Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger; and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
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Then Jesus spoke to them again and said: I am the light of the world; whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12LightEpiphanias
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I am the door; whoever enters through me shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:9
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I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
John 10:11Good ShepherdFirst Communion
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Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me shall live, even though he dies.
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Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
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I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him, he brings forth much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5WineBaptismal phrases
More I am statements
Additional passages in which Jesus speaks of himself with "I am".
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I am the living bread, come down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
John 6:51BreadFirst Communion
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Jesus said to them: Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:58
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I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me.
John 10:14Good ShepherdBaptismal phrases
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I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 15:1
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They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them: I am! But Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing among them. And when Jesus said to them, I am!, they drew back and fell to the ground.
John 18:5-6
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You call me Master and Lord, and rightly so, for I am indeed.
John 13:13
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Jesus said to her: I am the one speaking with you.
John 4:26
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I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Revelation 22:13End times
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I am the root of the lineage of David, the bright morning star.
Revelation 22:16bEpiphanias
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And Jesus spoke to them again and said: Take courage, I am; do not be afraid!
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And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:20bJesusLoneliness
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God said to Moses: I AM WHO I AM. And he said: Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: I AM.
Exodus 3:14God
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
Related topics
This goes well with it
"I am the light of the world" – and Jesus says to his disciples: "You are the light of the world." These pieces draw on the images from the I am statements.
Let your light Shine T-ShirtShirt for Matthew 5:16: Let your light shine before men.€38
ONE/HUNDRED – SocksSocks for the parable of the one sheep that Jesus seeks among a hundred (Luke 15).€12
Fruity - Boxy T-ShirtFruity shirt from the Fruit-of-the-Spirit collection.€38
Alpha & Omega - PosterPoster for Revelation 22:13: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.€10
What are the I am statements?
The I am statements are seven self-revelations of Jesus in the Gospel of John, each with an image: I am the bread of life (6:35), the light of the world (8:12), the door (10:9), the good shepherd (10:11), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way and the truth and the life (14:6), and the true vine (15:1.5). They are usually connected to an encounter or a sign: After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus speaks of bread; before the healing of a blind man, of light; at the tomb of Lazarus, of the resurrection.
Why "I am" is more than a phrase
For Jewish listeners, "I am" sounded familiar, because that is how – as the one who is – God presents himself to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus says "before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58), his opponents want to stone him – they understood that he was claiming God's name for himself. The I am statements are therefore both a confession and an invitation: Jesus is not just someone who gives bread, shows light, or points the way. He is it himself. You can find verses on the individual images at Bible verses about bread, Bible verses about light, Bible verses about the good shepherd, and Bible verses about wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many I am statements are there?
In the Gospel of John, there are seven I am statements with an image: bread of life, light of the world, door, good shepherd, resurrection and life, way-truth-life, and vine.
Where are the I am statements in the Bible?
John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6, and 15:5.
