< John 8 >
1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn, however, he came back to the Temple, where the people came to him in crowds. He had taken his seat and was teaching them,
3 when the Scribes and Pharisees had brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court, and said to him.
4 "Rabbi, this woman has been found in the very act of adultery.
5 "Now Moses, in the Law, has commanded us to stone such creatures. But you, what do you say?"
6 (This they said to tempt him, so that they could bring a charge against him.)
7 But Jesus stooped down, and began to write on the ground with his finger. When they continued to question him, he raised himself and said to them, "Let the innocent man among you be the first to throw the stone at her."
8 Then he stooped down again, and again began to write on the ground.
9 When they heard that, they went out one by one, beginning with the eldest. And Jesus was left behind alone - and the woman in the middle of the court.
10 Then Jesus raised himself up and said to her. "Woman, where are they? Has no man condemn you,"
11 "No one, Sir," she answered. "Neither do I condemned you," said Jesus. "Go, and never sin again."
12 Once more Jesus addressed them. "I am the light of the world," he said; "He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but he shall have the Light of life."
13 Then said the Pharisees to him. "You are bearing testimony to yourself; your testimony is not true."
14 In reply Jesus said to them. "Even if I do bear testimony to 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.
15 "For you are judging according to the flesh. I am judging no man.
16 "Though even if I do judge, my judgment is trustworthy, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.
17 "And in your Law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.
18 "I am one who gives testimony concerning myself, and the Father who sent me gives testimony concerning me."
19 "Where is your Father?" they asked him. "You have neither known me nor my Father," answered Jesus. "If you had known me, you would have known my father also."
20 He said these words in the Treasury, while he was teaching in the Temple; yet no one arrested him, because his hour was not yet come.
21 Then again he said them. "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come."
22 Then the Jews said. "He will not kill himself, will he? Is that why he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?"
23 And he said to them. "You are from below. I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
24 "That is why I said that you would die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
25 "Who are you?" then they asked him. "What I am telling you from the beginning," Jesus answered.
26 "I have many things to say and to judge concerning you. But he who sent me is true, and I speak to the world only those things which I have heard from him."
27 They did not understand that he meant the Father,
28 so Jesus added. "When you lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am He; and that I do nothing on my own authority, but that I speak just as the Father has taught me,
29 "and he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I do always the things that please him."
30 When he spoke in this way, many of the Jews believed in him.
31 So Jesus spoke to the Jews that believed him, saying. "If you abide in my teaching, you are my true disciples;
32 "and you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
33 "We are descendants of Abraham," they replied, "and have never been in slavery to any man. What do you mean by saying, ‘You shall become free’?"
34 "In solemn truth I tell you," Jesus replied, "every one who commits sin is a slave
35 "Now the slave does not remain permanently in the household, but the son does remain. (aiōn )
36 "So then, if the Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed.
37 "I know you are Abraham’s descendants; but you are seeking to kill me, Because my teaching has no place in you.
38 "I am declaring what I have seen with the Father, and you are acting as you have learned from your father."
39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you are indeed Abraham’s children," said Jesus "do the deeds of Abraham.
40 "But now you are seeking to kill me - a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do that.
41 "You are doing the deeds of your father." "We were not born of adultery," they said; "we have one Father, God."
42 Jesus said to them. "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth and am now come from God. I did not come on my own authority, but God himself sent me.
43 "How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot listen to my message.
44 "You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a man-slayer from the very beginning; and he has no standing place in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he utters a lie, he speaks from his nature, for he is a liar and the father of lying.
45 "But as for me, it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe me.
46 "Which one of you convicts me of sin? Why then, if I am speaking the truth, do you not believe me?
47 "He who is from God listens to God’s words. For this reason you do not listen, because you are not from God."
48 In reply the Jews said to him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan, and you also have a demon?"
49 "I do not have a demon," said Jesus, "but I am honoring my Father, and you are dishonoring me.
50 "Yet I am not seeking my own honor. There is One who is seeking it, and He is judge.
51 "In solemn truth I tell you that if any one obeys my teaching he shall never behold death." (aiōn )
52 "Now we know that you have a demon," exclaimed the Jews. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; and yet you say, ‘If any man obeys my teaching he shall never taste death.’ (aiōn )
53 "You are not greater than our father Abraham, are you? And he died, and the prophets died. Who are you making yourself out to be?"
54 "If I glorify myself." said Jesus, "my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifies me, and you say, ‘He is our God.’
55 "You are not acquainted with him; I know him. Were I to say, ‘I do not know him,’ I should be like you, a liar. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.
56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced that he should see my day; and he saw it and was glad."
57 "You are not yet fifty years old," said the Jews to him, "and you have seen Abraham?"
58 "In solemn truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "that before Abraham came into existence, I am."
59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple.
