John 8
8
The Woman Caught in Adultery
[ 1Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered round him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5#Lev 20.10; Deut 22.22–24In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?” 6They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.
7As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened himself up and said to them, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” 8Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10He straightened himself up and said to her, “Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?”
11“No one, sir,” she answered.
“Well, then,” Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again.”]#8.11 Many manuscripts and early translations do not have this passage (8.1–11); others have it after Jn 21.24; others have it after Lk 21.38; one manuscript has it after Jn 7.36.
Jesus the Light of the World
12 #
Mt 5.14; Jn 9.5 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”
13 #
Jn 5.31
The Pharisees said to him, “Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing.”
14 “No,” Jesus answered, “even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15You make judgements in a purely human way; I pass judgement on no one. 16But if I were to do so, my judgement would be true, because I am not alone in this; the Father who sent me is with me. 17#Deut 19.15It is written in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true. 18I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me also testifies on my behalf.”
19“Where is your father?” they asked him.
“You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20Jesus said all this as he taught in the Temple, in the room where the offering boxes were placed. And no one arrested him, because his hour had not come.
You cannot Go Where I am Going
21Again Jesus said to them, “I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going.”
22So the Jewish authorities said, “He says that we cannot go where he is going. Does this mean that he will kill himself?”
23Jesus answered, “You belong to this world here below, but I come from above. You are from this world, but I am not from this world. 24That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you will die in your sins if you do not believe that ‘I Am Who I Am’.”
25“Who are you?” they asked him.
Jesus answered, “What I have told you from the very beginning.#8.25 What I have told you from the very beginning; or Why should I speak to you at all? 26I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him.”
27They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the Father. 28So he said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that ‘I Am Who I Am’; then you will know that I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say. 29And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”
30Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.
The Truth will Set you Free
31So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; 32you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 #
Mt 3.9; Lk 3.8 “We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?”
34Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there for ever. 36If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not accept my teaching. 38I talk about what my Father has shown me, but you do what your father has told you.”
39They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”
“If you really were Abraham's children,” Jesus replied, “you would do#8.39 If you really were… you would do; some manuscripts have If you are… do. the same things that he did. 40All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this! 41You are doing what your father did.”
“God himself is the only Father we have,” they answered, “and we are his true children.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message. 44You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. 45But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. 46Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? 47He who comes from God listens to God's words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”
Jesus and Abraham
48They asked Jesus, “Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?”
49 “I have no demon,” Jesus answered. “I honour my Father, but you dishonour me. 50I am not seeking honour for myself. But there is one who is seeking it and who judges in my favour. 51I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys my teaching will never die.”
52They said to him, “Now we are certain that you have a demon! Abraham died, and the prophets died, yet you say that whoever obeys your teaching will never die. 53Our father Abraham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died. Who do you think you are?”
54Jesus answered, “If I were to honour myself, that honour would be worth nothing. The one who honours me is my Father — the very one you say is your God. 55You have never known him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad.”
57They said to him, “You are not even fifty years old — and you have seen Abraham?”#8.57 you have seen Abraham?; some manuscripts have has Abraham seen you?
58 “I am telling you the truth,” Jesus replied. “Before Abraham was born, ‘I Am’.”
59Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.
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John 8: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
John 8
8
1but Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery; and having set her in the midst, 4they say unto him, Teacher, this woman hath been taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such: what then sayest thou of her? 6And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. 7But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. 9And they, when they heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. 10And Jesus lifted up himself, and said unto her, Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee? 11And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.]
12Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true. 14Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go. 15Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true. 18I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also. 20These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.
21He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come. 22The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come? 23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? Jesus said unto them, Even that which I have also spoken unto you from the beginning. 26I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you: howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world. 27They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father. 28Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him. 30As he spake these things, many believed on him.
31Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; 32and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33They answered unto him, We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. 35And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. 36If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. 38I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. 39They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. 41Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. 46Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? 47He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon? 49Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. 50But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. 52The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. 53Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself? 54Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; 55and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. 57The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am. 59They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
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