John
Chapter 8
1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Early in the morning, he went back to the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone.
4 They told him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of cheating on her husband.”
5 Moses told us in the law that we should stone such people: but what do you say?
6 They said this to test him, so they could find a reason to blame him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger, pretending not to hear them.
7 When they kept asking him, he stood up and said to them, “If any of you have never sinned, you can throw the first stone at her.”
8 He bent down again and wrote on the ground.
9 Those who heard it, feeling guilty themselves, left one after another, starting with the oldest to the youngest: and only Jesus and the woman standing there were left.
10 When Jesus stood up and saw only the woman, he said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Didn’t anyone condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, God.” And Jesus told her, “I don’t condemn you either: go and don’t sin again.”
12 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world: whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees said to him, You speak about yourself; your words are not true.
14 Jesus answered them, “Even though I speak for myself, my words are true. I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know where I come from or where I am going.”
15 You judge by human standards; I judge no one.
16 If I decide something, it is right because it’s not just me, but also God who sent me.
17 Your law also says that if two men agree in their story, it is true.
18 I testify about myself, and the Father who sent me also testifies about me.
19 They asked him, “Where is your father?” Jesus replied, “You don’t know me or my father. If you knew me, you would know my father as well.”
20 Jesus said these words in the temple room where offerings were kept while he was teaching, and no one tried to arrest him because it was not the right time for that yet.
21 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am leaving, and you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
22 The Jews asked, “Is he going to kill himself?” because he says, “Where I am going, you cannot follow.”
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not belong to this world.”
24 I told you that you will die in your sins; if you don’t believe that I am the one, you will die in your sins.
25 They asked him, “Who are you?” And Jesus answered, “I am who I have told you from the start.”
26 I have a lot to say about you and to judge you by: but God who sent me is truthful, and I tell the world what I’ve heard from him.
27 They did not understand that he was talking to them about God.
28 Jesus said to them, “When you have raised up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the one, and I do nothing on my own. I speak what my Father has taught me.”
29 The one who sent me is with me: God has not left me by myself; because I always do what pleases him.
30 When he said this, many people believed in him.
31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you keep following my teachings, you are truly my followers.”
32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
33 They replied, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus told them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever does sin is a slave to sin.”
35 The servant does not stay in the house forever, but the Son stays forever.
36 If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.
37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants; but you want to kill me because my message has no room in you.
38 I tell what I have seen with my God, and you do what you have seen with your father.
39 They replied, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were really Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did.”
40 But now you want to kill me, a man who has told you the truth from God. Abraham did not do this.
41 You act like your father. Then they said to him, We were not born out of wedlock; we have one Father, God.
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God. I didn’t come on my own; He sent me.”
43 Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t really listen to my message.
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to do what he desires. He was a killer from the start and has never stood for truth, because there’s no truth in him. When he lies, he’s speaking his native language, because he is a liar and the source of all lies.
45 Because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me.
46 Who among you can prove I have sinned? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?
47 Whoever is from God listens to God’s words: you don’t listen because you are not from God.
48 The Jewish people replied, asking him, “Don’t we speak the truth saying you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
49 Jesus replied, “I don’t have a demon; I respect my Father, but you disrespect me.”
50 I do not look for my own honor; there is one who looks for it and judges.
51 Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone follows my teaching, they will never experience death.
52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, yet you claim, ‘If anyone follows my teachings, they will never die.’”
53 Are you greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? And the prophets are dead too: who do you think you are?
54 Jesus answered, “If I praise myself, my praise means nothing. It is my Father who praises me; you claim He is your God.”
55 You don’t know him, but I do. If I said I didn’t know him, I would be lying just like you. But I do know him and follow his teachings.
56 Your father Abraham was happy to see my time: he saw it and was joyful.
57 The Jewish people said to him, “You’re not even fifty years old yet, have you seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus told them, “Truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
59 They picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid and left the temple, walking through the crowd, and passed by.