John 8
8
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2At sunrise he arrived again in the temple courtyard. All the people gathered around him there. He sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman. She had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of the group. 4They said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who was not her husband. 5In the Law, Moses commanded us to kill such women by throwing stones at them. Now what do you say?” 6They were trying to trap Jesus with that question. They wanted to have a reason to bring charges against him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7They kept asking him questions. So he stood up and said to them, “Has any one of you not sinned? Then you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8He bent down again and wrote on the ground.
9Those who heard what he had said began to go away. They left one at a time, the older ones first. Soon only Jesus was left. The woman was still standing there. 10Jesus stood up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Hasn’t anyone found you guilty?”
11“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then I don’t find you guilty either,” Jesus said. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Challenge to What Jesus Says About Himself
12Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have that light. They will have life.”
13The Pharisees argued with him. “Here you are,” they said, “appearing as your own witness. But your witness does not count.”
14Jesus answered, “Even if I am a witness about myself, what I say does count. I know where I came from. And I know where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards. I don’t judge anyone. 16But if I do judge, what I decide is true. This is because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17Your own Law says that the witness of two people proves the truth about something. 18I am a witness about myself. The other witness about me is the Father, who sent me.”
19Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple courtyard. He was near the place where the offerings were put. But no one arrested him. That’s because the time for him to die had not yet come.
Challenge to Who Jesus Claims to Be
21Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. You can’t come where I am going.”
22This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘You can’t come where I am going’?”
23But Jesus said, “You are from below. I am from heaven. You are from this world. I am not from this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins. This will happen if you don’t believe that I am he. If you don’t believe, you will certainly die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26“I have a lot to say that will judge you. But the one who sent me can be trusted. And I tell the world what I have heard from him.”
27They did not understand that Jesus was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, “You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I am he. You will also know that I do nothing on my own. I speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” 30Even while Jesus was speaking, many people believed in him.
Challenge to the Claim to Be Children of Abraham
31Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed him. “If you obey my teaching,” he said, “you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free.”
33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s children. We have never been slaves of anyone. So how can you say that we will be set free?”
34Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave has no lasting place in the family. But a son belongs to the family forever. 36So if the Son of Man sets you free, you will really be free. 37I know that you are Abraham’s children. But you are looking for a way to kill me. You have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. You are doing what you have heard from your father.”
39“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
Jesus said, “Are you really Abraham’s children? If you are, you will do what Abraham did. 40But you are looking for a way to kill me. I am a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do the things you want to do. 41You are doing what your own father does.”
“We have the right to claim to be God’s children,” they objected. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. I have come here from God. I have not come on my own. God sent me. 43Why aren’t my words clear to you? Because you can’t really hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me! 46Can any of you prove I am guilty of sinning? Am I not telling the truth? Then why don’t you believe me? 47Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God.”
Jesus Makes Claims About Himself
48The Jews answered Jesus, “Aren’t we right when we say you are a Samaritan? Aren’t you controlled by a demon?”
49“I am not controlled by a demon,” said Jesus. “I honor my Father. You do not honor me. 50I am not seeking glory for myself. But there is one who brings glory to me. He is the judge. 51What I’m about to tell you is true. Whoever obeys my word will never die.”
52Then they cried out, “Now we know you are controlled by a demon! Abraham died. So did the prophets. But you say that whoever obeys your word will never die. 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died. So did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54Jesus replied, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory means nothing. You claim that my Father is your God. He is the one who brings glory to me. 55You do not know him. But I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him. And I obey his word. 56Your father Abraham was filled with joy at the thought of seeing my day. He saw it and was glad.”
57“You are not even 50 years old,” they said to Jesus. “And you have seen Abraham?”
58“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “Before Abraham was born, I am!” 59When he said this, they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus hid himself. He slipped away from the temple area.
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John 8: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
John 8
8
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. # Mt 21:1
An Adulteress Forgiven
2At dawn He went to the temple complex # Ac 21:26 again, and all the people were coming to Him. # Mk 1:45 He sat down # Mk 9:35 and began to teach them.
3Then the scribes and the Pharisees # Mk 7:3 brought a woman caught in adultery, # Nm 5:11 making her stand in the center. 4“Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. # Mt 5:27-28 5In the law Moses # Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 commanded us to stone such women. # Lv 20:10; Dt 22:22-24; Ezk 16:38-41 So what do You say? ” 6They asked this to trap Him, # Lk 11:54 in order that they might have evidence to accuse Him.
Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with His finger. 7When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin # Rm 3:23; 6:23 among you # Rm 2:1,22 should be the first to throw a stone at her.” # Dt 17:7
8Then He stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only He was left, with the woman in the center. 10When Jesus stood up, He said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? ”
11“No one, Lord,” # Or Sir ; Jn 4:15,49; 5:7; 6:34; 9:36 she answered.
“Neither do I condemn you,” # Jn 3:17 said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” # Other mss omit bracketed text
The Light of the World
12Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am # Ex 3:14; Jn 8:24,58 the light # Ps 36:9; Jn 12:46; 1Jn 2:8 of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” # Ex 13:21-22; 14:19-25; Is 42:6; 49:6; 60:19-22; Zch 14:5-8; Jn 9:5; 12:46
13So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” # The law of Moses required at least 2 witnesses to make a claim legally valid (v. 17).
14“Even if I testify about Myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is valid, # Or true because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. # Jn 3:8; 7:28; 9:29; 12:35; 13:3,36; 14:5; 16:5,28; 1Jn 2:11 15You judge # Lk 6:37; Rv 19:11 by human standards. # Lit You judge according to the flesh # Php 3:3 I judge no one. # Jn 3:17; 12:47 16And if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me judge # Mt 12:41; 2Th 1:5 together. # Jn 16:32 17Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men is valid. # Nm 35:30; Jn 8:14 18I am the One who testifies # 1Jn 5:7,9 about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”
19Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father? ”
“You know neither Me nor My Father,” # Jn 7:28; 1Jn 2:23 Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.” # Lk 10:22; Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8 20He spoke these words by the treasury, # A place for offerings to be given, perhaps in the court of women # Mk 12:41,43; Lk 21:1 while teaching in the temple complex. But no one seized Him, because His hour # The time of His sacrificial death and exaltation; Jn 2:4; 7:30; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1 had not come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21Then He said to them again, “I’m going away; # Jn 14:2; 16:5 you will look for Me, and you will die in your sin. # Dt 24:16; Ezk 3:18; 33:8; Jn 15:22; Rm 3:23; 6:23 Where I’m going, you cannot come.” # Jn 7:34,36; 8:22; 13:33
22So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’ # Jn 8:21? ”
23“You are from below,” He told them, “I am from above. # Jn 3:13,31; 18:36; Col 3:1-2 You are of this world; # 1Jn 4:5 I am not of this world. # Jn 15:19; 17:14-16; 18:36 24Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, # Jesus claimed to be deity, but the Pharisees didn’t understand His meaning. you will die in your sins.”
25“Who are You? ” they questioned.
“Precisely what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26“I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the One who sent Me # Jn 5:19 is true, and what I have heard from Him — these things I tell the world.” # Jn 3:32; 15:15
27They did not know He was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, # Mk 2:10 then you will know that I am # Jn 8:24 He, and that I do nothing on My own. # Mk 6:5; Jn 9:33; 15:5 But just as the Father taught Me, I say these things. 29The One who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, # Jn 16:32; Ac 10:38 because I always do what pleases Him.”
Truth and Freedom
30As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, # Or My teaching, or My message # Jn 2:22; 18:32 you really are My disciples. 32You will know the truth, # Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6; 2Th 2:10 and the truth will set you free.”
33“We are descendants # Or offspring ; lit seed ; Jn 7:42 of Abraham,” # Gn 16:15; Jn 8:37; Heb 2:16 they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’? ”
34Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. # Rm 6:17-20; 2Pt 2:19 35A slave does not remain in the household forever, # 1Jn 2:17 but a son does remain forever. # Gn 21:10; Lk 15:31; Gl 4:30 36Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37I know you are descendants # Or offspring ; lit seed ; Jn 7:42 of Abraham, # Lk 19:9; Jn 8:31-47; Ac 13:26; Rm 4:11,16; Gl 3:7 but you are trying to kill Me because My word # Or My teaching, or My message is not welcome among you. 38I speak what I have seen # Jn 3:32; 5:19; 6:46 in the presence of the Father; # Other mss read of My Father # Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42 therefore, you do what you have heard from your father.”
39“Our father is Abraham! ” they replied.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. # Gl 3:7,9 40But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth # Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6 that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! 41You’re doing what your father does.” # 2Jn 9
“We weren’t born # 1Jn 2:29 of sexual immorality,” # Hs 2:4; 1Th 4:3 they said. “We have one Father — God.” # Dt 32:6
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, # Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27; 1Jn 5:1 because I came from God # Jn 13:3; 16:27; 1Jn 5:20 and I am here. For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me. 43Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to # Or cannot hear My word. # Lk 6:47; Jn 18:32 44You are of your father the Devil, # Mt 4:1; Jn 13:2,27; Eph 2:1-3 and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer # 1Jn 3:15 from the beginning # Gn 3:1-4; 4:8-9; Ac 26:4; 2Co 11:3; 1Jn 3:8-15; Rv 12:9 and has not stood in the truth, # Jn 14:6; Rm 3:7 because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, # Lit from his own things because he is a liar and the father of liars. # Lit of it 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46Who among you can convict Me of sin? # Jn 15:22; 1Jn 3:5 If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 47The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Jesus and Abraham
48The Jews responded to Him, “Aren’t we right in saying that You’re a Samaritan # Lk 9:52; Ac 1:8 and have a demon? ” # Jn 7:20; 10:20; Rv 9:20; 18:2
49“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. 50I do not seek My glory; # Jn 17:24; Php 3:19; 1Pt 5:4 the One who seeks it also judges. 51I assure you: If anyone keeps My word, # Jn 8:52,55; 14:23-24; 15:20; 17:6; 18:32; 1Jn 2:5; Rv 1:3; 3:8,10; 22:7,9 he will never see death — ever! ”
52Then the Jews said, “Now we know You have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death — ever! ’ 53Are You greater than our father Abraham who died? Even the prophets died. Who do You pretend to be? ” # Lit Who do You make Yourself?
54“If I glorify Myself,” Jesus answered, “My glory is nothing. My Father — you say about Him, ‘He is our God’ — He is the One who glorifies Me. 55You’ve never known Him, but I know Him. If I were to say I don’t know Him, # Jn 7:28 I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, # Mt 11:27 and I keep His word. 56Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it # Lk 10:24; Heb 11:13-19 and rejoiced.”
57The Jews replied, “You aren’t 50 years old yet, and You’ve seen Abraham? ” # Other mss read and Abraham has seen You?
58Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.” # I AM is the name God gave Himself at the burning bush; Ex 3:13-14; see note at Jn 8:24. # Ex 3:14; Ps 45:8; Jn 1:15; 8:24; 17:5; Col 1:17
59At that, they picked up stones # Jn 10:33 to throw at Him. # Ex 17:4; Lv 24:16; 1Sm 30:6; 1Kg 21:10-13; Jn 10:31; 11:8 But Jesus was hidden # Or Jesus hid Himself # Lk 4:30; Jn 12:36 and went out of the temple complex. # Other mss add and having gone through their midst, He passed by # Ac 21:26
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