3 The woman taken in adultery, 11 hath her sins forgiven her. 12 Christ the light of the world. 19 The Pharisees ask where his Father is. 39 The sons of Abraham. 42 The sons of God, 44 The devil the father of lying. 56 Abraham saw Christ’s day.

And Jesus went unto the mount of Olives,

And early in the morning came again into the Temple, and all the people came unto him, and he sat down and taught them.

[a]Then the Scribes and the Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and set her in the midst,

And said unto him, Master, we found this woman committing adultery even in the very act.

(A)Now Moses in our Law commanded, that such should be stoned: what sayest thou therefore?

And this they said to tempt him, that they might have, whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground,

[b]And while they continued asking him, he lifted himself up, and said unto them, (B)Let him that is among you without sin, cast the first stone at her.

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And when they heard it, being accused by their own conscience, they went out, one by one, beginning at the eldest even to the last: so Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 [c]When Jesus had lifted up himself again, and saw no man, but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.

12 [d]Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I (C)am that light of the world: he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have that light of life.

13 [e]The Pharisees therefore said unto him, [f]Thou bearest record of thyself: thy record is not true.

14 (D)Jesus answered, and said unto them, [g]Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I come, and whither I go: but ye cannot tell whence I came, and whither I go.

15 Ye judge after the flesh: I [h]judge no man.

16 And if I also judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I, and the Father, that sent me.

17 And it is also written in your Law, (E)that the testimony of two men is true.

18 [i]I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

19 [j]Then said they unto him, Where is that Father of thine? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor the Father of mine. If ye had known me, ye should have known that Father of mine also.

20 These words spake Jesus in the [k]treasury, as he taught in the Temple, and no man laid hands on him: [l]for his hour was not yet come.

21 [m]Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins, Whither I go, can ye not come.

22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself, because he saith, Whither I go, can ye not come?

23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath, I am from above: ye are of this world, I am not of this world.

24 I said therefore unto you, That ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe, that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

25 [n]Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus said unto them, Even [o]the same thing that I said unto you from the beginning.

26 [p]I have many things to say, and to judge of you: but he that sent me, is true, and the things that I have heard of him, those speak I to the world.

27 [q]They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me, so I spake these things.

29 For he that sent me, is with me: the Father hath not left me alone, because I do always those things that please him.

30 ¶ As he spake these things, many believed in him.

31 [r]Then said Jesus to the Jews which believed in him, If ye continue in my word, ye are verily my disciples,

32 And shall know the truth, and the truth shall [s]make you free.

33 [t]They answered him, We be [u]Abraham’s seed, and were never bond to any man: why sayest thou then, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily I say unto you, that whosoever commiteth sin, is the (F)servant of sin.

35 And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth forever.

36 If that Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

37 [v]I know that ye are Abraham’s seed, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father.

39 They answered, and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now ye go about to kill me, a man that have told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

41 Ye do the works of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication: we have one Father, which is God.

42 Therefore Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, then would ye love me: for I proceeded forth, and came from God, neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my [w]talk? because ye cannot hear my word.

44 (G)Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he hath been a murderer from the [x]beginning, and [y]abode not in the [z]truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, then speaketh he of his [aa]own: for he is a liar, and the [ab]father thereof.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 [ac]Which of you can rebuke me of sin? and if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

47 (H)He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

48 [ad]Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and ye have dishonored me.

50 And I seek not mine own praise: but there is one that [ae]seeketh it, and judgeth.

51 [af]Verily, verily I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never [ag]see death.

52 [ah]Then said the Jews to him, Now know we that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets: and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death.

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the Prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

54 [ai]Jesus answered, If I honor myself, mine honor is [aj]nothing worth: it is my Father that honoreth me, whom ye say, that he is your God.

55 [ak]Yet ye have not known him: but I know him, and if I should say I know him not, I should be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his word.

56 [al]Your father Abraham [am]rejoiced to see my [an]day, and he [ao]saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I [ap]am.

59 [aq]Then took they up stones to cast at him, but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the Temple: And he passed through the midst of them, and so went his way.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:3 While the wicked go about to make a snare for good men, they make a snare for themselves.
  2. John 8:7 Against hypocrites which are very severe judges against other men, and flatter themselves in their own sins.
  3. John 8:10 Christ would not take upon him the civil Magistrates office: he contented himself to bring sinners to faith and repentance.
  4. John 8:12 The world which is blind in itself cannot come to have ray light but in Christ only.
  5. John 8:13 Christ is without all exception the best witness of the truth, for he was sent by his Father for that purpose, and was by him approved to the world by infinite miracles.
  6. John 8:13 Thou bearest witness of thyself which thing by all men’s opinion, is naught: and for a man to commend himself is very discommendable.
  7. John 8:14 That which he denied afore, John 5:31, must be taken by a manner of granting, for in that place he framed himself somewhat to the humor of his hearers, which acknowledged nothing in Christ but his humanity, and therefore he was content they should set light by his own witness, unless it were otherwise confirmed. But in this place he standeth for the maintenance of his Godhead, and praiseth his Father, who is his witness, and agreeth with him.
  8. John 8:15 I do now only teach you, I condemn no man: but yet if I list to do it, I might lawfully do it, for I am not alone, but my Father is with me.
  9. John 8:18 The Godhead is plainly distinguished from the manhood, else there were not two witnesses: for the party accused is not taken for a witness.
  10. John 8:19 No man can know God, but in Christ only.
  11. John 8:20 This was some place appointed for the gathering of the offerings.
  12. John 8:20 We live and die at the pleasure of God and not of men: Therefore this one thing remaineth that we go forward constantly in our vocation.
  13. John 8:21 Because that men do naturally abhor heavenly things, no man can be a fit disciple of Christ, unless the Spirit of God frame him: in the mean season notwithstanding, the world must of necessity perish, because it refuseth the life that is offered unto it.
  14. John 8:25 He shall at length know who Christ is, which will diligently hear, what he saith.
  15. John 8:25 That is, I am Christ, and the savior, for so I told you from the beginning that I was.
  16. John 8:26 God is the revenger of Christ’s doctrine despised.
  17. John 8:27 Even the contempt of Christ maketh for his glory: which thing his enemies shall feel at length to their great smart.
  18. John 8:31 The true disciples of Christ continue in his doctrine, that profiting more and more in the knowledge of the truth, they may be delivered from the most grievous burden of sin, into the true liberty of righteousness and life.
  19. John 8:32 From the slavery of sin.
  20. John 8:33 Some of the multitude, not they that believed: for this is not the speech of men that consent unto him but of men that are against him.
  21. John 8:33 Born and begotten of Abraham.
  22. John 8:37 Our wicked manners declare, that we are plainly born of a devilish nature, But we are changed, and made of the household of God, according to the covenant which he made with Abraham by Christ only, apprehended and laid hold on by faith: which faith is known by a godly and honest life.
  23. John 8:43 Or, language: as though he said, you do no more understand what I say, than if I spake in a strange and unknown language to you.
  24. John 8:44 From the beginning of the world: for as soon as man was made, the devil cast him headlong into death.
  25. John 8:44 That is, continued not constantly, or remained not.
  26. John 8:44 That is, in faithfulness, and uprightness, that is, kept not his creation.
  27. John 8:44 Even of his own head, and of his own brain or disposition.
  28. John 8:44 The author thereof.
  29. John 8:46 Christ did thoroughly execute the office, that his Father enjoined him.
  30. John 8:48 The enemies of Christ make their bravery for a while, but the Father will appear at his time to revenge the reproach that is done unto him in the person of his son.
  31. John 8:50 That is, that will revenge both your despising of me, and of him.
  32. John 8:51 The only doctrine of the Gospel apprehended by faith, is a sure remedy against death.
  33. John 8:51 That is, he shall not feel it: for even in the midst of death, the faithful see life.
  34. John 8:52 Against them which abuse the glory of the Saints, to darken Christ’s glory.
  35. John 8:54 There is nothing farther off from all ambition than Christ, but his Father hath set him above all things.
  36. John 8:54 This is spoken by manner of [a grant]: as if he had said, Be it so, let this report which I give of myself, be of no force: yet there is another that glorifieth me, that is, that honoreth my Name.
  37. John 8:55 There is no right knowledge of God, without Christ, neither any right knowledge of Christ without his word.
  38. John 8:56 The virtue of Christ showed itself through all former ages in the Fathers, for they saw in the promises, that he should come, and did very joyfully lay hold on him with a lively faith.
  39. John 8:56 Was very desirous.
  40. John 8:56 A day is a space that a man liveth in, or doeth any notable act, or suffereth any great thing.
  41. John 8:56 With the eyes of faith, Heb. 11:13.
  42. John 8:58 Christ as he was God, was before Abraham: and he was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world.
  43. John 8:59 Zeal without knowledge, breaketh out at length into a most open madness: and yet the wicked cannot do what they list.

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