John 8

1[But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.]

2[Early in the morning he came to the temple again, and all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.]

3[The scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery, and they made her stand in front of everyone.]

4[They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.]

5[Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”]

6[They were saying this to test him, so that they might have grounds to accuse him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger, as though he did not hear them.]

7[When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”]

8[And again he bent down and wrote on the ground.]

9[When they heard this, convicted by their conscience, they went away one by one, beginning with the oldest, down to the last. Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there in front of him.]

10[Jesus straightened up and, seeing no one but the woman, said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”]

11[She said, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and do not sin anymore.”]

12Again Jesus spoke to them, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself; your testimony is not true.”

14Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because 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.

15You judge by human standards; I judge no one.

16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone; it is I and the Father who sent me.

17In your own law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.

18I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

19Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

20He spoke these words in the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

21So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

22So the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

23He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

25So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.

26I have much to say about you and much to judge. But he who sent me is true, and I tell the world what I have heard from him.”

27They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.

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, but I speak just what the Father has taught me.

29And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”

30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples,

32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.

35The slave does not remain in the household forever; the son remains forever.

36So if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.

37I know that you are descendants of Abraham. Yet you are trying to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

38I speak of what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

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.

40But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

41You are doing the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father: God.”

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I have not come on my own; he sent me.

43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

46Which of you can convict me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

47Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”

48The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

50Yet I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

51Truly, truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’

53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, the one of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

55Yet you have not 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 keep his word.

56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.”

57So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?”

58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.