⁷ When they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and told them, “Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground.^{[a] 9} When they heard this, they went away one by one,^[b] beginning with the oldest,^[c] and he was left alone with the woman standing there.^[d]