John 8
8
A Woman Caught in Adultery
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Now early in the morning he came again to the temple courts.#*Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself And all the people were coming,#Some manuscripts have “were coming to him” and he sat down and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb began to teach#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to teach”) them.
3Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman#Some manuscripts have “brought a woman” caught in adultery. And standing her in their midst, 4they said to him, testing him,#Some manuscripts omit “testing him” “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery! 5Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6(Now they were saying this to test him, so that they would have an occasion#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to bring charges against him.) But Jesus, bending down, began to write#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to write”) with his#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun finger on the ground, taking no notice.#Some manuscripts omit “taking no notice” 7And when they persisted in asking him, straightening up he said#Some manuscripts have “he straightened up and said” to them, “The one of you without sin, let him throw the first stone at her!” 8And bending down again, he wrote on the ground. 9Now when they#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal heard it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation being convicted by their conscience,#Some manuscripts omit “being convicted by their conscience” they began to depart,#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to depart”) one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus#Some manuscripts have “he” was left alone—and the woman who was in their midst. 10So Jesus, straightening up and seeing no one except the woman,#Some manuscripts omit “and seeing no one except the woman” said to her, “Where are those accusers of yours?#Some manuscripts have “said to her, ‘Woman, where are they?” Does no one condemn you?” 11And she said, “No one, Lord.” So Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and#Some manuscripts have “and from now on” sin no more.”〛#John 7:53–8:11 is not found in the earliest and best manuscripts and was almost certainly not an original part of the Gospel of John; one significant group of Greek manuscripts places it after Luke 21:38
Jesus, the Light of the World
12Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify concerning yourself! Your testimony is not true.” 14Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify concerning myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I have come from or where I am going. 15You judge according to externals; I do not judge anyone. 16But even if I judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me. 17And even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.#An allusion to Deut 17:6 18I am the one who testifies concerning myself, and the Father who sent me testifies concerning me.”
19So they were saying to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus replied, “You know neither me nor my Father! If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” 20He spoke these words by the treasury while#*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“teaching”) which is understood as temporal teaching in the temple courts,#*Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Death
21So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come!” 22Then the Jews began to say,#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to say”) “Perhaps he will kill himself, because he is saying, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ ” 23And he said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are from this world; I am not from this world. 24Thus I said to you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25So they began to say to him,#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to say”) “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What#Literally “that which” I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but the one who sent me is true, and the things which I heard from him, these things I say to the world.” 27(They did not know that he was speaking to them about the Father.)
28Then Jesus said,#Some manuscripts have “said to them” “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will recognize that I am he, and I do nothing from myself, but just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30While#*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was saying”) he was saying these things, many believed in him.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They replied to him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have not been enslaved to anyone at any time. How do you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34Jesus replied to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35And the slave does not remain in the household forever;#Literally “for the age” the son remains forever.#Literally “for the age” 36So if the son sets you free, you will be truly free. 37I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word makes no progress among you. 38I speak the things that I have seen with the Father; so also you do the things that you have heard from the Father.”
The Priority of Jesus Over Abraham
39They answered and said to him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus said to them, “If you are children of Abraham, do the deeds of Abraham! 40But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who spoke to you the truth which I heard from God. This Abraham did not do. 41You are doing the deeds of your father!”
They said#Some manuscripts have “Then they said” to him, “We were not born from sexual immorality! We have one father, God!” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me. 43Why#Literally “because of what” do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature,#*The word “nature” is not in the Greek text but is implied because he is a liar and the father of lies.#Literally “of it” 45But because I am telling the truth, you do not believe me. 46Who among you convicts me concerning sin? If I am telling the truth, why#Literally “because of what” do you not believe me? 47The one who is from God listens to the words of God. Because of this you do not listen—because you are not of God.”
48The Jews answered and said to him, “Do we not correctly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus replied, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me! 50But I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges! 51Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death forever.”#Literally “for the age”
52The Jews#Some manuscripts have “Then the Jews” said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham and the prophets died, and you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death forever.’#Literally “for the age” 53You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?#*The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase “are you” And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself to be?” 54Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55And you have not known him, but I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you! But I know him and I keep his word. 56Abraham your father rejoiced that he would see my day, and he saw it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and was glad.”
57So the Jews said to him, “You are#Literally “you have” not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am!” 59Then they picked up stones in order to throw them#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple courts.#*Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
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John 8: LEB
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John 8
8
A Woman Caught in Adultery
1Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
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Jesus, the Light of the World
12Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
13The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”
14Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. 15You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father#8:16 Some manuscripts read The One. who sent me is with me. 17Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.#8:17 See Deut 19:15. 18I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
19“Where is your father?” they asked.
Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time#8:20 Greek his hour. had not yet come.
The Unbelieving People Warned
21Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”
22The people#8:22 Greek Jewish people; also in 8:31, 48, 52, 57. asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”
23Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be,#8:24 Greek unless you believe that I am. See Exod 3:14. you will die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they demanded.
Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.#8:25 Or Why do I speak to you at all? 26I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” 27But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.
28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he.#8:28 Greek When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. 29And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” 30Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
Jesus and Abraham
31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
39“Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.#8:39 Some manuscripts read if you are really the children of Abraham, follow his example. 40Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41No, you are imitating your real father.”
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”
42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
48The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”
49 “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. 51I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
52The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching 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 want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’#8:54 Some manuscripts read You say he is your God. 55but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
57The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?#8:57 Some manuscripts read How can you say Abraham has seen you?”
58Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!#8:58 Or before Abraham was even born, I have always been alive; Greek reads before Abraham was, I am. See Exod 3:14.” 59At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
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