An Adulteress Forgiven

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have evidence to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11She said, “No one, [†]Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go, and from now on sin no more.”]

I Am the Light of the World

12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are bearing witness about Yourself; Your witness is not [†]true.” 14Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness about Myself, My witness is [†]true, for 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 [†]according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17Even in your law it has been written that the witness of two men is [†]true. 18I am He who bears witness about Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness about Me.” 19So they were saying 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.” 20These words He spoke in the treasury, as He was teaching in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

21Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. 24Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that [†]I am He, you will die in your sins.” 25So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “[†]What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I am saying to the world.” 27They did not know that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [†]I am He, and I do nothing from Myself, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29And He who sent Me is with Me; He [†]has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30As He was speaking these things, many believed in Him.

The Son Will Make You Free

31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s seed; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [†]has no place in you. 38I speak the things which I have seen [†]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”

39They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would do the deeds of Abraham. 40But now you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. This Abraham did not do. 41You are doing the deeds 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 proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come of Myself, but [†]He sent Me. 43Why do you not understand [†]what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks [†]a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of [†]lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

48The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death—ever.” 52The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death—ever.’ 53Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55and you have not known Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced [†]to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus [†]hid Himself and went out of the temple.