The Adulterous Woman

But Jesus went to (A)the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and (B)He sat down and began teaching them. Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the Law, (C)Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” Now they were saying this to (D)test Him, (E)so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. When they persisted in asking Him, (F)He straightened up and said to them, (G)He who is without sin among you, let him be the (H)first to throw a stone at her.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10 And (I)straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, [a]Lord.” And Jesus said, (J)I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not (K)sin any longer.”]]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, (L)I am the Light of the world; (M)the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “(N)You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not [b]true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, (O)Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is [c]true, because I know (P)where I came from and where I am going; but (Q)you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 (R)You judge [d]according to the flesh; (S)I am not judging anyone. 16 But even (T)if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in (U)your Law it has been written that the testimony of (V)two people is [e]true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and (W)the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; (X)if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke [f]in (Y)the treasury, as (Z)He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because (AA)His hour had not yet come.

21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and (AB)you will look for Me, and (AC)will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So (AD)the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, (AE)Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, (AF)You are from below, I am from above; (AG)you are of this world, (AH)I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you (AI)will die in your sins; for unless you believe that [g](AJ)I am, (AK)you will die in your sins.” 25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, [h]What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but (AL)He who sent Me is true; and (AM)the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you (AN)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [i](AO)I am, and (AP)I do nothing [j]on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; (AQ)He [k]has not left Me alone, for (AR)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He said these things, (AS)many came to believe in Him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, (AT)If you continue in My word, then you are truly My (AU)disciples; 32 and (AV)you will know the truth, and (AW)the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “(AX)We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, (AY)everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now (AZ)the slave does not remain in the house forever; (BA)the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son (BB)sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know that you are (BC)Abraham’s descendants; yet (BD)you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [l]has no place in you. 38 I speak of the things which I have seen [m]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from (BE)your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is (BF)our father.” Jesus *said to them, (BG)If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, (BH)you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has (BI)told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of (BJ)your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; (BK)we have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, (BL)you would love Me, (BM)for I came forth from God and am here; for I have (BN)not even come [n]on My own, but [o](BO)He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand [p](BP)what I am saying? It is because you cannot (BQ)listen to My word. 44 (BR)You are of (BS)your father the devil, and (BT)you want to do the desires of your father. (BU)He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because (BV)there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells [q]a lie, he (BW)speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of [r]lies. 45 But because (BX)I say the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If (BY)I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 (BZ)The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

48 (CA)The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a (CB)Samaritan, and You (CC)have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not (CD)have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But (CE)I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone (CF)follows My word, he will never (CG)see death.” 52 (CH)The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (CI)have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone (CJ)follows My word, he will never (CK)taste of death.’ 53 You (CL)are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, (CM)If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; (CN)it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and (CO)you have not come to know Him, (CP)but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be (CQ)a liar like you; (CR)but I do know Him, and I (CS)follow His word. 56 (CT)Your father Abraham was (CU)overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” 57 (CV)So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham [s]was born, [t](CW)I am.” 59 Therefore they (CX)picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus (CY)hid Himself and left the temple grounds.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:11 Or Sir
  2. John 8:13 Or valid
  3. John 8:14 Or valid
  4. John 8:15 I.e., by a carnal standard
  5. John 8:17 I.e., valid or admissible
  6. John 8:20 Or at
  7. John 8:24 Or I AM, you will die...; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM
  8. John 8:25 Or That which I have even been saying to you from the beginning
  9. John 8:28 Or I AM, and...; (see note v 24)
  10. John 8:28 Or of Myself
  11. John 8:29 Or did not leave
  12. John 8:37 Or is making no headway among you
  13. John 8:38 Or in the presence of
  14. John 8:42 Or of Myself
  15. John 8:42 Lit that One
  16. John 8:43 Or My way of speaking
  17. John 8:44 Lit the lie
  18. John 8:44 Lit it
  19. John 8:58 Lit came into being
  20. John 8:58 Or I AM; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM

And at dawn he came again to the temple,

and all the people were coming unto him, and having sat down, he was teaching them;

and the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman having been taken in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

they say to him, `Teacher, this woman was taken in the very crime -- committing adultery,

and in the law, Moses did command us that such be stoned; thou, therefore, what dost thou say?'

and this they said, trying him, that they might have to accuse him. And Jesus, having stooped down, with the finger he was writing on the ground,

and when they continued asking him, having bent himself back, he said unto them, `The sinless of you -- let him first cast the stone at her;'

and again having stooped down, he was writing on the ground,

and they having heard, and by the conscience being convicted, were going forth one by one, having begun from the elders -- unto the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 And Jesus having bent himself back, and having seen no one but the woman, said to her, `Woman, where are those -- thine accusers? did no one pass sentence upon thee?'

11 and she said, `No one, Sir;' and Jesus said to her, `Neither do I pass sentence on thee; be going on, and no more sin.'

12 Again, therefore, Jesus spake to them, saying, `I am the light of the world; he who is following me shall not walk in the darkness, but he shall have the light of the life.'

13 The Pharisees, therefore, said to him, `Thou of thyself dost testify, thy testimony is not true;'

14 Jesus answered and said to them, `And if I testify of myself -- my testimony is true, because I have known whence I came, and whither I go, and ye -- ye have not known whence I come, or whither I go.

15 `Ye according to the flesh do judge; I do not judge any one,

16 and even if I do judge my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me;

17 and also in your law it hath been written, that the testimony of two men are true;

18 I am [one] who is testifying of myself, and the Father who sent me doth testify of me.'

19 They said, therefore, to him, `Where is thy father?' Jesus answered, `Ye have neither known me nor my Father: if me ye had known, my Father also ye had known.'

20 These sayings spake Jesus in the treasury, teaching in the temple, and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come;

21 therefore said Jesus again to them, `I go away, and ye will seek me, and in your sin ye shall die; whither I go away, ye are not able to come.'

22 The Jews, therefore, said, `Will he kill himself, because he saith, Whither I go away, ye are not able to come?'

23 and he said to them, `Ye are from beneath, I am from above; ye are of this world, I am not of this world;

24 I said, therefore, to you, that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye may not believe that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.'

25 They said, therefore, to him, `Thou -- who art thou?' and Jesus said to them, `Even what I did speak of to you at the beginning;

26 many things I have to speak concerning you and to judge, but He who sent me is true, and I -- what things I heard from Him -- these I say to the world.'

27 They knew not that of the Father he spake to them;

28 Jesus, therefore, said to them, `When ye may lift up the Son of Man then ye will know that I am [he]; and of myself I do nothing, but according as my Father did teach me, these things I speak;

29 and He who sent me is with me; the Father did not leave me alone, because I, the things pleasing to Him, do always.'

30 As he is speaking these things, many believed in him;

31 Jesus, therefore, said unto the Jews who believed in him, `If ye may remain in my word, truly my disciples ye are, and ye shall know the truth,

32 and the truth shall make you free.'

33 They answered him, `Seed of Abraham we are; and to no one have we been servants at any time; how dost thou say -- Ye shall become free?'

34 Jesus answered them, `Verily, verily, I say to you -- Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin,

35 and the servant doth not remain in the house -- to the age, the son doth remain -- to the age;

36 if then the son may make you free, in reality ye shall be free.

37 `I have known that ye are seed of Abraham, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you;

38 I -- that which I have seen with my Father do speak, and ye, therefore, that which ye have seen with your father -- ye do.'

39 They answered and said to him, `Our father is Abraham;' Jesus saith to them, `If children of Abraham ye were, the works of Abraham ye were doing;

40 and now, ye seek to kill me -- a man who hath spoken to you the truth I heard from God; this Abraham did not;

41 ye do the works of your father.' They said, therefore, to him, `We of whoredom have not been born; one Father we have -- God;'

42 Jesus then said to them, `If God were your father, ye were loving me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of myself, but He sent me;

43 wherefore do ye not know my speech? because ye are not able to hear my word.

44 `Ye are of a father -- the devil, and the desires of your father ye will to do; he was a man-slayer from the beginning, and in the truth he hath not stood, because there is no truth in him; when one may speak the falsehood, of his own he speaketh, because he is a liar -- also his father.

45 `And because I say the truth, ye do not believe me.

46 Who of you doth convict me of sin? and if I speak truth, wherefore do ye not believe me?

47 he who is of God, the sayings of God he doth hear; because of this ye do not hear, because of God ye are not.'

48 The Jews, therefore, answered and said to him, `Do we not say well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?'

49 Jesus answered, `I have not a demon, but I honour my Father, and ye dishonour me;

50 and I do not seek my own glory; there is who is seeking and is judging;

51 verily, verily, I say to you, If any one may keep my word, death he may not see -- to the age.'

52 The Jews, therefore, said to him, `Now we have known that thou hast a demon; Abraham did die, and the prophets, and thou dost say, If any one may keep my word, he shall not taste of death -- to the age!

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died; whom dost thou make thyself?'

54 Jesus answered, `If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who is glorifying me, of whom ye say that He is your God;

55 and ye have not known Him, and I have known Him, and if I say that I have not known Him, I shall be like you -- speaking falsely; but I have known Him, and His word I keep;

56 Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice.'

57 The Jews, therefore, said unto him, `Thou art not yet fifty years old, and Abraham hast thou seen?'

58 Jesus said to them, `Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham's coming -- I am;'

59 they took up, therefore, stones that they may cast at him, but Jesus hid himself, and went forth out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.