John 8
1 Jesus
returned to the Mount of Olives,
2 but
early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered,
and he sat down and taught them.
3 As
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.
5 The
law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They
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.
7 They
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!”
8 Then
he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When
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.
10 Then
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.”
----------
12 Jesus
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.”
13 The
Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony
is not valid.”
14 Jesus
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.
15 You
judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.
16 And
if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone.
The Father who sent me is with me.
17 Your
own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is
accepted as fact.
18 I
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.”
20 Jesus
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 had not yet
come.
21 Later
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.”
22 The
people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot
come where I am going’?”
23 Jesus
continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do
not.
24 That
is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM
who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”
25 “Who
are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.
26 I
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.”
27 But
they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.
28 So
Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will
understand that I AM he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father
taught me.
29 And
the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what
pleases him.”
30 Then
many who heard him say these things believed in him.
31 Jesus
said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you
remain faithful to my teachings.
32 And
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’?”
34 Jesus
replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.
35 A
slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family
forever.
36 So
if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
37 Yes,
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.
38 I
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.
40 Instead,
you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God.
Abraham never did such a thing.
41 No,
you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate
children! God himself is our true Father.”
42 Jesus
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.
43 Why
can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear
me!
44 For
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.
45 So
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?
47 Anyone
who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen
because you don’t belong to God.”
48 The
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.
50 And
though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the
true judge.
51 I
tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
52 The
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!’
53 Are
you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do
you think you are?”
54 Jesus
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,’
55 but
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.
56 Your
father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was
glad.”
57 The
people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen
Abraham? ”
58 Jesus
answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM! ”
59 At that point they picked up
stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
