John 8
8
1But Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Jewish Leaders Try to Trap Jesus
2First thing in the morning, Jesus came back into the temple courtyard. All the people gathered around him there, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who’d been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of the group, 4and they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who wasn’t her husband. 5In the Law, Moses commanded us to kill women who commit adultery by throwing stones at them. But what do you say?” 6They were trying to trap Jesus with that question, so they’d have a reason to bring charges against him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on asking him questions, he stood up and said to them, “If any of you has never sinned, he can 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 one at a time. The older ones left first, and then the younger ones. Finally, only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus stood up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then I don’t condemn you either,” Jesus told her. “Go now and stop sinning.”
A Challenge to What Jesus Says About Himself
12Jesus spoke to the people again and said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have the light of life.”
13The Pharisees argued with him. “Here you are, appearing as your own witness,” they complained. “What you say isn’t valid.”
14Jesus answered, “Even if I am a witness about myself, what I say is valid. I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I’m going. 15You judge by human standards; I don’t judge anyone. 16But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I’m not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me. 17Your own Law says that if two different people give the same evidence about something, their testimony can be trusted. 18I’m a witness about myself, and the second witness about me is the Father who sent me.”
19Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You don’t know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple courtyard near the place where the offerings were put. But no one arrested him, because his time hadn’t come yet.
A Challenge to Who Jesus Claims to Be
21Once more Jesus said to them, “I’m going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. You can’t come where I’m going.”
22This made the Jews ask, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that why he’s saying, ‘You can’t come where I’m going’?”
23But Jesus continued, “You’re from below; I’m from above. You’re from this world; I’m not from this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I am, you will certainly die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I’ve been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26“I have much to say in judgment of you. But the one who sent me is trustworthy, and I’m telling the world what I’ve heard from him.”
27They didn’t understand that Jesus was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you’ll know that I am. You’ll also know that I don’t do anything on my own. I speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me. He hasn’t left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” 30Even while Jesus was speaking, many people believed in him.
A Challenge to the Claim to Be Children of Abraham
31Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33They answered him, “We’re Abraham’s children. We’ve never been slaves to anybody. So how can you say that we’ll be set free?”
34Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35A slave has no lasting place in the family, but a son belongs to the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37I know that you’re Abraham’s children. But you’re looking for a way to kill me, because you don’t have any room for my word. 38I’m telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. You’re doing what you’ve heard from your father.”
39“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you really were Abraham’s children,” Jesus said, “you would do what Abraham did. 40But you’re looking for a way to kill me—a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do the things you want to do. 41You’re doing what your own father does.”
“We know who our father is,” they insisted. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I’ve come here from God. I haven’t come on my own; God sent me. 43Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? Because you can’t really hear it. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil has been a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth because there’s no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me! 46Can any of you prove that I’m guilty of sin? If I’m telling the truth, 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 to say that you’re a Samaritan and controlled by a demon?”
49“I’m not controlled by a demon,” Jesus replied. “I honor my Father, but you don’t honor me. 50I’m not seeking glory for myself. But there is one who seeks it for me, and he is the judge. 51Truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never die.”
52At this they exclaimed, “Now we know you’re controlled by a demon! Abraham died, and so did the prophets. But you’re saying that whoever obeys your word will never die. 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54Jesus answered, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory means nothing. My Father is the one who brings glory to me, and you claim him as your God. 55You don’t know him, but I know him. If I said I didn’t, I’d 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.”
57The Jews said to Jesus, “You’re not even 50 years old, but you’ve seen Abraham?”
58“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am.” 59When he said that, they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus slipped out of sight and left the temple area.
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