New Revised Standard Version
They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

Contemporary English Version
They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger.

New American Bible
They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground.

And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground.

tempting.

Numbers 14:22 But yet all the men that have seen my majesty, and the signs that I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice,

Matthew 19:3 And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

Luke 10:25 And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life?

Luke 11:53,54 And as he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the lawyers began violently to urge him and to oppress his mouth about many things, . . .

Luke 20:20-23 And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor. . . .

1 Corinthians 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished by the serpent.

But.

John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple: and all the people came to him. And sitting down he taught them.

Genesis 49:9 Juda is a lion's whelp: to the prey, my son, thou art gone up: resting thou hast couched as a lion, and as a lioness, who shall rouse him?

Jeremiah 17:13 O Lord, the hope of Israel: all that forsake thee shall be confounded: they that depart from thee, shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the Lord, the vein of living waters.

Daniel 5:5 In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of a man, writing over against the candlestick, upon the surface of the wall of the king's palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand that wrote.

as though.

Psalm 38:12-14 And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long. . . .

Psalm 39:1 Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David. [2] I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

Proverbs 26:17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

Amos 5:10,13 They have hated him that rebuketh in the gate: and have abhorred him that speaketh perfectly. . . .

Matthew 10:16 Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.

Matthew 15:23 Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: Send her away, for she crieth after us:

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the Son of God.