The Adulterous Woman

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them. 3Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, 4they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11She said, “No one, [a]Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”]]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not [b]true.” 14Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is [c]true, because 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 [d]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 testimony of two people is [e]true. 18I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies 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 [f]in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.

21Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for 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, will He, 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 [g]I am, you will die in your sins.” 25Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “[h]What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [i]I am, and I do nothing [j]on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29And He who sent Me is with Me; He [k]has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never 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 a slave of sin. 35Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [l]has no place in you. 38I speak of the things which I have seen [m]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, do the deeds of Abraham. 40But as it is, 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 as a result of sexual immorality; we have one Father: God.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for I have not even come [n]on My own, but [o]He sent Me. 43Why do you not understand [p]what I am saying? It is because you cannot listen to 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 tells [q]a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of [r]lies. 45But because I say 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? 47The one 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 rightly say that You are a Samaritan, and You have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50But I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.” 52The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone follows My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? 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 come to know 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 I follow His word. 56Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” 57So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham [s]was born, [t]I am.” 59Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.

[a] 11 Or Sir
[b] 13 Or valid
[c] 14 Or valid
[d] 15 I.e., by a carnal standard
[e] 17 I.e., valid or admissible
[f] 20 Or at
[g] 24 Or I AM, you will die...; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM
[h] 25 Or That which I have even been saying to you from the beginning
[i] 28 Or I AM, and...; (see note v 24)
[j] 28 Or of Myself
[k] 29 Or did not leave
[l] 37 Or is making no headway among you
[m] 38 Or in the presence of
[n] 42 Or of Myself
[o] 42 Lit that One
[p] 43 Or My way of speaking
[q] 44 Lit the lie
[r] 44 Lit it
[s] 58 Lit came into being
[t] 58 Or I AM; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM