1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round him, and he sat down to teach them.3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group4and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no-one condemned you?’11‘No-one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
Dispute over Jesus’ testimony
12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’13The Pharisees challenged him, ‘Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.’14Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.15You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no-one.16But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness 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 teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no-one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
Dispute over who Jesus is
21Once more Jesus said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.’22This made the Jews ask, ‘Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, “Where I go, you cannot come”?’23But he continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed 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 much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.’27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.28So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up[1] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’30Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
Dispute over whose children Jesus’ opponents are
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, 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 descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?’34Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever.36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[2]’39‘Abraham is our father,’ they answered. ‘If you were Abraham’s children,’ said Jesus, ‘then you would[3] do what Abraham did.40As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.41You are doing the works of your own father.’ ‘We are not illegitimate children,’ they protested. ‘The only Father we have is God himself.’42Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?47Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’
Jesus’ claims about himself
48The Jews answered him, ‘Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?’49‘I am not possessed by a demon,’ said Jesus, ‘but I honour my Father and you dishonour me.50I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.51Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.’52At this they exclaimed, ‘Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death.53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?’54Jesus replied, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’57‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ they said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’58‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
John 8
English Standard Version
1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. (Mt 5:1; Lu 4:20; Lu 21:38)3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst4they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.5Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” (Le 20:10; De 22:22; De 22:24; Eze 16:38; Eze 16:40)6This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. (Mt 16:1; Mt 19:3; Mt 22:18; Mt 22:35; Mr 8:11; Mr 10:2; Mr 12:15; Lu 10:25; Lu 11:16; Lu 11:54)7And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (De 17:7; Ro 2:1; Ro 2:22)8And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.9But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.10Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”11She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]] (Lu 12:14; Joh 3:17; Joh 5:14; Joh 8:15)
I Am the Light of the World
12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Ps 36:9; Isa 42:6; Isa 49:6; Mal 4:2; Joh 1:4; Joh 1:9; Joh 7:37; Joh 12:26; Joh 12:35; Joh 21:19)13So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” (Joh 5:31)14Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. (Joh 7:28; Joh 7:33; Joh 8:21; Joh 9:29; Joh 13:3; Joh 16:28; Re 3:14)15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. (1Sa 16:7; Job 10:4; Joh 7:24; Joh 8:11; Joh 12:47)16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father[1] who sent me. (Joh 5:30; Joh 8:29; Joh 16:32)17In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. (Nu 35:30)18I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” (Joh 5:37)19They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (Joh 8:55; Joh 14:7; Joh 16:3)20These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. (Mt 27:6; Joh 7:8; Joh 7:30)21So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” (Eze 3:18; Eze 33:8; Joh 7:34; Joh 8:24; Joh 14:2; Joh 14:28; Joh 16:7)22So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” (Joh 7:35)23He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. (Joh 3:31; Joh 8:44; Joh 17:14; Joh 17:16; 1Jo 4:5)24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (Mr 13:6; Lu 21:8; Joh 8:21; Joh 16:9)25So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. (Joh 1:19)26I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” (Joh 3:32; Joh 3:33; Joh 7:28; Joh 8:40; Joh 15:15; Joh 18:20; Ro 3:4; Re 1:1)27They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. (Joh 8:18; Joh 8:26)28So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. (Joh 3:14; Joh 5:30; Joh 7:16; Joh 8:24; Joh 12:32; Joh 12:34; Joh 16:8)29And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” (Joh 4:34; Joh 5:30; Joh 6:38; Joh 8:16; Joh 10:38; Joh 16:32; Ac 10:38; 1Jo 3:22)30As he was saying these things, many believed in him. (Joh 7:31)
The Truth Will Set You Free
31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, (Joh 15:7; 2Jo 1:9)32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Joh 8:36; Ro 6:18; Ro 6:22; Ro 8:2; 1Co 7:22; 2Co 3:17; Ga 5:1; Ga 5:13; Jas 1:25; Jas 2:12; 1Pe 2:16; 2Jo 1:1)33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” (Mt 3:9; Lu 19:9; Joh 8:37; Joh 8:39; Ro 9:7)34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave[2] to sin. (Ro 6:16; Tit 3:3; 2Pe 2:19)35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. (Ge 21:10; Lu 15:31; Ga 4:30)36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. (Joh 7:1; Joh 8:40)38I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (Joh 3:32; Joh 5:19; Joh 6:46; Joh 8:41; Joh 8:44)
You Are of Your Father the Devil
39They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, (Joh 8:33; Joh 8:56; Ga 3:7; Ga 3:9)40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. (Joh 8:26; Joh 8:37)41You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” (De 32:6; Isa 63:16; Isa 64:8; Ho 2:4; Joh 8:47)42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. (Joh 3:17; Joh 7:28; Joh 16:28; Joh 17:8; Heb 10:9; 1Jo 5:1; 1Jo 5:20)43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. (Jer 6:10; Joh 7:17; 1Co 2:14)44You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (Ge 3:4; Ge 4:8; Mt 13:38; Joh 8:23; Ro 5:12; 2Co 11:3; 1Jo 2:4; 1Jo 3:8; 1Jo 3:12; 1Jo 3:15; Re 12:9)45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.46Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?47Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (Joh 8:41; Joh 10:26; Joh 18:37; 1Jo 4:6)
Before Abraham Was, I Am
48The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (Joh 7:20)49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. (Joh 5:23; Joh 7:18)50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. (Joh 5:41; Joh 8:54)51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (Lu 2:26; Joh 5:24; Joh 11:26)52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ (Zec 1:5; Mt 16:28; Joh 8:51; Heb 2:9)53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” (Joh 4:12)54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’[3] (Joh 8:41; Joh 8:50; Joh 13:32; Joh 17:1; Ac 3:13; Heb 5:5; 2Pe 1:17)55But you have not known him. 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 keep his word. (Mt 11:27; Joh 7:28; Joh 7:29; Joh 8:19; Joh 8:44; 1Jo 1:6)56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” (Mt 13:17; Lu 17:22; Joh 8:39; Heb 11:13)57So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”[4]58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (Ex 3:14)59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (Joh 10:31)