John 8

1 But Jesus continued on to the Mount of Olives.2 And early in the morning, he went again to the temple; and all the people came to him. And sitting down, he taught them.3 Now the scribes and Pharisees brought forward a woman caught in adultery, and they stood her in front of them.4 And they said to him: “Teacher, this woman was just now caught in adultery.5 And in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such a one. Therefore, what do you say?”6 But they were saying this to test him, so that they might be able to accuse him. Then Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the earth.7 And then, when they persevered in questioning him, he stood upright and said to them, “Let whoever is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”8 And bending down again, he wrote on the earth.9 But upon hearing this, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, with the woman standing in front of him.10 Then Jesus, raising himself up, said to her: “Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one condemned you?”11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus said: “Neither will I condemn you. Go, and now do not choose to sin anymore.”12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me does not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”13 And so the Pharisees said to him, “You offer testimony about yourself; your testimony is not true.”14 Jesus responded and said to them: “Even though I offer testimony about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going.15 You judge according to the flesh. I do not judge anyone.16 And when I do judge, my judgment is true. For I am not alone, but it is I and he who sent me: the Father.17 And it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.18 I am one who offers testimony about myself, and the Father who sent me offers testimony about me.”19 Therefore, they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered: “You know neither me, nor my Father. If you did know me, perhaps you would know my Father also.”20 Jesus spoke these words at the treasury, while teaching in the temple. And no one apprehended him, because his hour had not yet come.21 Therefore, Jesus again spoke to them: “I am going, and you shall seek me. And you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you are not able to go.”22 And so the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself, for he said: ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go?’ ”23 And he said to them: “You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.24 Therefore, I said to you, that you will die in your sins. For if you will not believe that I am, you will die in your sin.”25 And so they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them: “The Beginning, who is also speaking to you.26 I have much to say about you and to judge. But he who sent me is true. And what I have heard from him, this I speak within the world.”27 And they did not realize that he was calling God his Father.28 And so Jesus said to them: “When you will have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall realize that I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but just as the Father has taught me, so do I speak.29 And he who sent me is with me, and he has not abandoned me alone. For I always do what is pleasing to him.”30 As he was speaking these things, many believed in him.31 Therefore, Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him: “If you will abide in my word, you will truly be my disciples.32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”33 They answered him: “We are the offspring of Abraham, and we have never been a slave to anyone. How can you say, ‘You shall be set free?’ ”34 Jesus answered them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.35 Now the slave does not abide in the house for eternity. Yet the Son does abide in eternity.36 Therefore, if the Son has set you free, then you will truly be free.37 I know that you are sons of Abraham. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word has not taken hold in you.38 I speak what I have seen with my Father. And you do what you have seen with your father.”39 They responded and said to him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them: “If you are the sons of Abraham, then do the works of Abraham.40 But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.41 You do the works of your father.” Therefore, they said to him: “We were not born out of fornication. We have one father: God.”42 Then Jesus said to them: “If God were your father, certainly you would love me. For I proceeded and came from God. For I did not come from myself, but he sent me.43 Why do you not recognize my speech? It is because you are not able to hear my word.44 You are of your father, the devil. And you will carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning. And he did not stand in the truth, because the truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks it from his own self. For he is a liar, and the father of lies.45 But if I speak the truth, you do not believe me.46 Which of you can convict me of sin? If I speak the truth to you, why do you not believe me?47 Whoever is of God, hears the words of God. For this reason, you do not hear them: because you are not of God.”48 Therefore, the Jews responded and said to him, “Are we not correct in saying that you are a Samaritan, and that you have a demon?”49 Jesus responded: “I do not have a demon. But I honor my Father, and you have dishonored me.50 But I am not seeking my own glory. There is One who seeks and judges.51 Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone will have kept my word, he will not see death for eternity.”52 Therefore, the Jews said: “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and yet you say, ‘If anyone will have kept my word, he shall not taste death for eternity.’53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. So who do you make yourself to be?”54 Jesus responded: “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me. And you say about him that he is your God.55 And yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, then I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word.56 Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad.”57 And so the Jews said to him, “You have not yet reached fifty years, and you have seen Abraham?”58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.”59 Therefore, they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and he departed from the temple.

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