John 8

1 And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them.3 The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group,4 they said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.5 In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?"

6 They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

7 They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, "Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone."8 Bending down again, he wrote on the ground.

9 Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd.

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?"

11 She said, "No one, sir."t

Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore."t

Jesus continues to teach in the temple

12 Jesus spoke to the people again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

13 Then the Pharisees said to him, "Because you are testifying about yourself, your testimony isn’t valid."
14 Jesus replied, "Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, since I know where I came from and where I’m going. You don’t know where I come from or where I’m going.15 You judge according to human standards, but I judge no one.16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I’m not alone. My judgments come from me and from the Father who sent me.17 In your Law it is written that the witness of two people is true.

18 I am one witness concerning myself and the Father who sent me is the other."

19 They asked him, "Where is your Father?"
Jesus answered, "You don’t know me and you don’t know my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father."

20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple area known as the treasury. No one arrested him, because his time hadn’t yet come.

21 Jesus continued, "I’m going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you can’t come."

22 The Jewish leaders said, "He isn’t going to kill himself, is he? Is that why he said, ‘Where I’m going, you can’t come’?"
23 He said to them, "You are from below; I’m from above. You are from this world; I’m not from this world.

24 This is why I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins."

25 "Who are you?" they asked.
Jesus replied, "I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning.26 I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."27 They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father.28 So Jesus said to them, "When the Human Onet is lifted up,t then you will know that I Am.t Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me.29 He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy."

30 While Jesus was saying these things, many people came to believe in him.

Children of Abraham

31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33 They responded, "We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?"
34 Jesus answered, "I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin.35 A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is.36 Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free.37 I know that you are Abraham’s children, yet you want to kill me because you don’t welcome my teaching.

38 I’m telling you what I’ve seen when I am with the Father, but you are doing what you’ve heard from your father."

39 They replied, "Our father is Abraham."
Jesus responded, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would do Abraham’s works.40 Instead, you want to kill me, though I am the one who has spoken the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.

41 You are doing your father’s works."
They said, "Our ancestry isn’t in question! The only Father we have is God!"
42 Jesus replied, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God. Here I am. I haven’t come on my own. God sent me.43 Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t really hear my words.44 Your father is the devil. You are his children, and you want to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has never stood for the truth, because there’s no truth in him. Whenever that liar speaks, he speaks according to his own nature, because he’s a liar and the father of liars.45 Because I speak the truth, you don’t believe me.46 Who among you can show I’m guilty of sin? Since I speak the truth, why don’t you believe me?

47 God’s children listen to God’s words. You don’t listen to me because you aren’t God’s children."

48 The Jewish opposition answered, "We were right to say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon, weren’t we?"
49 "I don’t have a demon," Jesus replied. "But I honor my Father and you dishonor me.50 I’m not trying to bring glory to myself. There’s one who is seeking to glorify me, and he’s the judge.

51 I assure you that whoever keeps my word will never die."

Abraham and Jesus

52 The Jewish opposition said to Jesus, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never die.’

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the prophets died, so who do you make yourself out to be?"
54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is meaningless. My Father, who you say is your God, is the one who glorifies me.55 You don’t know him, but I do. If I said I didn’t know him, I would be like you, a liar. But I do know him, and I keep his word.

56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see my day. He saw it and was happy."

57 "You aren’t even 50 years old!" the Jewish opposition replied. "How can you say that you have seen Abraham?"
58 "I assure you," Jesus replied, "before Abraham was, I Am."

59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the temple.

Jesus heals a blind man

John 8

A Woman Caught in Adultery

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.s2 Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teacht them.3 The experts in the lawt and the Phariseess brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them4 and said to Jesus,t “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone to deaths such women.s What then do you say?”6 (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges againstt him.)s Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.t7 When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straightt and replied,t “Whoever among you is guiltlesst may be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Thent he bent over again and wrote on the ground.
9 Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones,t until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.10 Jesus stood up straightt and said to her, “Woman,s where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

11 She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”]]ss

Jesus as the Light of the World

12 Then Jesus spoke out again,t “I am the light of the world.s The one who follows me will nevert walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”13 So the Phariseess objected,t “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!”s14 Jesus answered,t “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you peoplet do not know where I came from or where I am going.s15 You peoplet judge by outward appearances;t I do not judge anyone.s16 But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate,t because I am not alone when I judge,t but I and the Father who sent me do so together.t17 It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.s

18 I testify about myselft and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19 Then they began askingt him, “Who is your father?” Jesus answered, “You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too.”s

20 (Jesust spoke these words near the offering boxtss while he was teaching in the temple courts.t No one seized him because his timet had not yet come.)s

Where Jesus Came From and Where He is Going

21 Then Jesust said to them again,t “I am going away, and you will look for met but will die in your sin.t Where I am going you cannot come.”22 So the Jewish leaderst began to say,t “Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’”23 Jesus replied,t “You peoplet are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world.

24 Thus I told yout that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he,ts you will die in your sins.”
25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied,t “What I have told you from the beginning.26 I have many things to say and to judget about you, but the Fathert who sent me is truthful,t and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world.”t

27 (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.)s
28 Then Jesus said,t “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he,t and I do nothing on my own initiative,t but I speak just what the Father taught me.t29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,t because I always do those things that please him.”

30 While he was saying these things, many peoplet believed in him.

Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children

31 Then Jesus said to those Judeanst who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching,t you are reallyt my disciples32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”ts33 “We are descendantst of Abraham,” they replied,t “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say,t ‘You will become free’?”34 Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth,t everyone who practicest sin is a slavet of sin.35 The slave does not remain in the familyt forever, but the son remains forever.s36 So if the sont sets you free, you will be really free.37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants.t But you wantt to kill me, because my teachingt makes no progress among you.t

38 I am telling you the things I have seen while with thes Father;t as for you,t practice the things you have heard from thes Father!”
39 They answered him,t “Abraham is our father!”t Jesus replied,t “If you ares Abraham’s children, you would be doingst the deeds of Abraham.40 But now you are tryingt to kill me, a man who has told yout the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this!t

41 You peoplet are doing the deeds of your father.”
Thens they said to Jesus,t “We were not born as a result of immorality!s We have only one Father, God himself.”42 Jesus replied,t “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here.t It have not come on my own initiative,t but het sent me.43 Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot acceptt my teaching.t44 You peoplet are fromt your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.t Het was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth,t because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies,t he speaks according to his own nature,t because he is a liar and the father of lies.t45 But because I am telling yout the truth, you do not believe me.46 Who among you can prove me guiltyt of any sin?t If I am telling yout the truth, why don’t you believe me?

47 The one who belongs tot God listens and respondst to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond,t because you don’t belong to God.”t
48 The Judeanst replied,t “Aren’t we correct in sayingt that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”t49 Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon,t but I honor my Father – and yett you dishonor me.50 I am not trying to gett praise for myself.t There is one who demandst it, and he also judges.t

51 I tell you the solemn truth,t if anyone obeyst my teaching,t he will never see death.”ts
52 Thens the Judeanst responded,t “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon!t Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yett you say, ‘If anyone obeyst my teaching,t he will never experiencet death.’t53 You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?t And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?”54 Jesus replied,t “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless.t The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you peoplet say, ‘He is our God.’55 Yett you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him,t I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obeyt his teaching.t

56 Your father Abraham was overjoyedt to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”t
57 Then the Judeanst replied,t “You are not yet fifty years old!t Havet you seen Abraham?”58 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth,t before Abraham came into existence,t I am!”s

59 Then they picked upt stones to throw at him,s but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.st