Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus Speaks to the Teachers of the Law and the Proud Religious Law-Keepers

(*Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He went back to the house of God and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them.

The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They brought a woman who had been caught doing a sex sin. They made her stand in front of them all. Then they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of doing a sex sin. Moses told us in the Law to throw stones and kill a woman like this. What do You say about it?”

They were trying to set a trap to find something against Him. Jesus got down and began to write in the dust with His finger. They kept on asking Him. Then He stood up and said, “Anyone of you who is without sin can throw the first stone at her.” Again He got down and wrote in the dust. When they heard what He said, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones until they were all gone. Then Jesus was left alone with the woman.

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are those who spoke against you? Has no man said you are guilty?” 11 She said, “No one, Sir.” Jesus said to her, “Neither do I say you are guilty. Go on your way and do not sin again.”)

Jesus Teaches about the Light of the World

12 Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.”

13 The proud religious law-keepers said to Him, “You are talking about Yourself. What You say about Yourself is not true.”

14 Jesus said, “Even if I speak of Myself, what I am saying is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You say as a man would say if people are guilty or not guilty. I am not saying anyone is guilty. 16 But even if I did, it would be true. I am not alone. The Father Who sent Me is with Me. 17 It is written in your Law that when two men agree about something, it proves it is true. (A) 18 I speak for Myself and the Father Who sent Me speaks for Me.”

19 The proud religious law-keepers asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus said, “You do not know Me or My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

20 Jesus spoke these words near the money box while He taught in the house of God. No one put his hands on Jesus because His time had not yet come.

Jesus Tells of His Going Away

21 Jesus spoke to the Jews again, saying, “I am going away. You will look for Me but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 The Jews said, “Will He kill Himself because He said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”

23 He answered 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 will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the Christ, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus answered, “The answer is the same as I told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you. I must say if you are guilty. But He Who sent Me is true. I tell the world the things I have heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. 28 Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the Christ. I do nothing of Myself. I say these things as My Father has taught Me. 29 He that sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone. I always do what He wants Me to do.” 30 As Jesus said these things, many people put their trust in Him. 31 He said to the Jews who believed, “If you keep and obey My Word, then you are My followers for sure. 32 You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”

Jesus Teaches What It Means to Be Free

33 They said to Jesus, “We are children of Abraham. We have never been servants to anyone. What do you mean when You say, ‘You will be free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “For sure, I tell you, everyone who sins is the servant of sin because sin has a hold on him. 35 And the servant does not belong in the house. The son belongs in the house. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free for sure.

37 “I know that you are the children of Abraham. But you want to kill Me because My Word is not in your hearts. 38 I speak of what I saw when I was with My Father. You do what you have seen your father do.”

39 They said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said, “If you were children of Abraham, you would do what he did. 40 I am a Man Who has told you the truth as I heard it from God. Now you are trying to kill Me. Abraham never did anything like that. 41 You are doing the works of your father.” They said to Him, “We were born of parents who were faithful in marriage. We have one Father. He is God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love Me. I came from God. I did not come on My own, but God sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you do not want to hear My teaching. 44 The devil is your father. You are from him. You want to do the sinful things your father, the devil, wants you to do. He has been a killer from the beginning. The devil has nothing to do with the truth. There is no truth in him. It is expected of the devil to lie, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 I tell you the truth and that is why you do not put your trust in Me. 46 Which one of you can say I am guilty of sin? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 Whoever is born of God listens to God’s Word. You do not hear His Word because you are not born of God.”

The Jews Say Jesus Has a Demon

48 The Jews said to Jesus, “Are we not right when we say You are from the country of Samaria, and You have a demon?” 49 Jesus said, “No, I do not have a demon. I honor My Father. You do not honor Me. 50 I am not looking for honor for Myself. There is One Who is looking for it. He says what is right from wrong. 51 For sure, I tell you, if anyone keeps My Word, that one will never die.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know You have a demon. Abraham died. The early preachers died. You say, ‘If anyone keeps My Word, that one will never die.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the early preachers died. Who do You think You are?” 54 Jesus said, “If I honor Myself, My honor would be worth nothing. My Father honors Me. You say He is your God. 55 You have never known Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know the Father and obey His Word. 56 Your father Abraham was glad that he was to see My coming. He saw it and was happy.”

57 The Jews said to Jesus, “You are not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I was and am and always will be!”

59 Then they picked up stones to throw at Him. Jesus hid Himself *and left the house of God.

but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(A)

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.(B) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.(C) Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap,(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone(F) at her.”(G) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(I)


Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am(J) the light of the world.(K) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(L)

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”(M)

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.(N) But you have no idea where I come from(O) or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;(P) I pass judgment on no one.(Q) 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.(R) 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.(S) 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”(T)

19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”(U) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(V) 20 He spoke these words while teaching(W) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.(X) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.(Y)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die(Z) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”(AA)

22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.(AB) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,(AC) you will indeed die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,(AD) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”(AE)

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man,(AF) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.(AG) 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,(AH) for I always do what pleases him.”(AI) 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.(AJ)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,(AK) you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(AL)

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(AM) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(AN) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(AO) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(AP) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(AQ) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(AR) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[b](AS)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(AT) said Jesus, “then you would[c] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(AU) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(AV) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(AW)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(AX)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(AY) for I have come here from God.(AZ) I have not come on my own;(BA) God sent me.(BB) 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil,(BC) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(BD) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(BE) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(BF) you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(BG) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(BH) and demon-possessed?”(BI)

49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself;(BJ) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”(BK)

52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!(BL) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham?(BM) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(BN) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(BO) 55 Though you do not know him,(BP) I know him.(BQ) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(BR) 56 Your father Abraham(BS) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(BT) and was glad.”

57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(BU) I am!”(BV) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(BW) but Jesus hid himself,(BX) slipping away from the temple grounds.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:28 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  2. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  3. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then