João 8:24

Jesus’ hearers would die in their sins (plural) unless they believed in Him. Only belief in Him could rescue them from this fate. Here Jesus viewed their manifold sins (plural) as the consequences of their sin (singular, John 8:21) of unbelief.

"The attitude of unbelief is not simply unwillingness to accept a statement of fact; it is resistance to the revelation of God in Christ." [Note: Tenney, "John," p. 93.]

They needed to believe that Jesus was "I am." In this context this phrase has heavy theological connotations (cf. John 8:28; John 8:58; John 13:19). It appeared enigmatic at first, but later Jesus’ hearers realized that He was claiming to be God (cf. John 8:59). The NIV "the one I claim to be" is an interpretation of Jesus’ meaning that is perhaps more misleading than helpful. Jesus was alluding to the title that God gave Himself in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 43:13; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 46:4; Isaiah 48:12). Essentially "I am" means the eternally self-existent being. [Note: See Charles Gianotti, "The Meaning of the Divine Name YHWH," Bibliotheca Sacra 142:565 (January-March 1985):38-51.] Unless a person believes that Jesus is God, in contrast with less than God, he or she will die in his or her sins.