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.
2Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and #John 8:20; 18:20taught them. 3Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in #Ex. 20:14; (Matt. 5:27; 19:9; Rom. 7:3)adultery, in the very act. 5#Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22–24Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6This they said, testing Him, that they #Matt. 22:15might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, #Deut. 17:7; (Rom. 2:1)“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9Then those who heard it, #Rom. 2:22being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, #(Luke 9:56; 12:14; John 3:17)“Neither do I condemn you; go and #(John 5:14)sin no more.”
12Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, #Is. 9:2; Mal. 4:2; John 1:4; 9:5; 12:35; (2 Tim. 1:10)“I am the light of the world. He who #1 Thess. 5:5follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus Defends His Self-Witness
13The Pharisees therefore said to Him, #John 5:31“You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
14Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but #John 7:28; 9:29you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15#1 Sam. 16:7; John 7:24You judge according to the flesh; #(John 3:17; 12:47; 18:36)I judge no one. 16And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for #John 16:32I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17#Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; Heb. 10:28It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of Myself, and #John 5:37; 1 John 5:9the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, #John 16:3“You know neither Me nor My Father. #John 14:7If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
20These words Jesus spoke in #Mark 12:41, 43; Luke 21:1the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and #John 2:4; 7:30no one laid hands on Him, for #John 7:8His hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and #John 7:34; 13:33you will seek Me, and #John 8:24will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23And He said to them, #John 3:31“You are from beneath; I am from above. #John 15:19; 17:16; 1 John 4:5You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24#John 8:21Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; #(Mark 16:16)for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I #John 4:26have been saying to you from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but #John 7:28He who sent Me is true; and #John 3:32; 15:15I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28Then Jesus said to them, “When you #Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 3:14; 12:32; 19:18lift up the Son of Man, #(Rom. 1:4)then you will know that I am He, and #John 5:19, 30that I do nothing of Myself; but #Deut. 18:15, 18, 19; John 3:11as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29And #John 14:10He who sent Me is with Me. #John 8:16; 16:32The Father has not left Me alone, #John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38for I always do those things that please Him.” 30As He spoke these words, #John 7:31; 10:42; 11:45many believed in Him.
The Truth Shall Make You Free
31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you #(John 14:15, 23)abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the #(John 1:14, 17; 14:6)truth, and #(Rom. 6:14, 18, 22; James 1:25; 2:12)the truth shall make you free.”
33They answered Him, #Lev. 25:42; (Matt. 3:9); Luke 3:8“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, #Prov. 5:22; Rom. 6:16; 2 Pet. 2:19whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35And #Gen. 21:10; Gal. 4:30a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36#(Rom. 8:2; 2 Cor. 3:17); Gal. 5:1Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
37“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but #John 7:19you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38#(John 3:32; 5:19, 30; 14:10, 24)I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39They answered and said to Him, #Matt. 3:9; John 8:37“Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, #(Rom. 2:28; Gal. 3:7, 29)“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40#John 8:37But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth #John 8:26which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; #Deut. 32:6; Is. 63:16; Mal. 1:6we have one Father—God.”
42Jesus said to them, #1 John 5:1“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for #John 16:27; 17:8, 25I proceeded forth and came from God; #John 5:43; Gal. 4:4nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43#(John 7:17)Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44#Matt. 13:38; 1 John 3:8You are of your father the devil, and the #1 John 2:16, 17desires of your father you want to #(1 John 3:8–10, 15)do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and #(Jude 6)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47#Luke 8:15; John 10:26; 1 John 4:6He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and #John 7:20; 10:20have a demon?”
49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and #John 5:41you dishonor Me. 50And #John 5:41; 7:18; (Phil. 2:6–8)I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51Most assuredly, I say to you, #John 5:24; 11:26if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You #John 7:20; 10:20have a demon! #Zech. 1:5; Heb. 11:13Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. #John 10:33; 19:7Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54Jesus answered, #John 5:31, 32“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. #John 5:41; Acts 3:13It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55Yet #John 7:28, 29you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and #(John 15:10)keep His word. 56Your father Abraham #Luke 10:24rejoiced to see My day, #Matt. 13:17; Heb. 11:13and he saw it and was glad.”
57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, #Mic. 5:2; John 17:5; Heb. 7:3; Rev. 22:13before Abraham was, #Ex. 3:14; Is. 43:13; John 17:5, 24; Col. 1:17; Rev. 1:8I AM.”
59Then #John 10:31; 11:8they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, #Luke 4:30; John 10:39going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.