An Adulteress Forgiven
3Then the scribes and the Pharisees8:3 Mk 7:3 brought a woman caught in adultery,8:3 Nm 5:11 making her stand in the center.
4“Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.8:4 Mt 5:27–28
5In the law Moses8:5 Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 commanded us to stone such women.8:5 Lv 20:10; Dt 22:22–24; Ezk 16:38–41 So what do you say?”
Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger.
7When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin8:7 Rm 3:23; 6:23 among you8:7 Rm 2:1,22 should be the first to throw a stone at her.”8:7 Dt 17:7
8Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground.
9When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center.
10When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, Lord,”8:11 Or Sir; Jn 4:15,49; 5:7; 6:34; 9:36 she answered.
The Light of the World
13So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14
“Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going.8:14 Jn 3:8; 7:28; 9:29; 12:35; 13:3,36; 14:5; 16:5,28; 1Jn 2:11
15You judge8:15 Lk 6:37; Rv 19:11 by human standards.8:15 Lit You judge according to the flesh8:15 Php 3:3 I judge no one.8:15 Jn 3:17; 12:47
19Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?”
“You know neither me nor my Father,”
8:19
Jn 7:28; 1Jn 2:23
Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”8:19 Lk 10:22; Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8
Jesus Predicts His Departure
23
“You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above.8:23 Jn 3:13,31; 18:36; Col 3:1–2 You are of this world; 8:23 1Jn 4:5 I am not of this world.8:23 Jn 15:19; 17:14–16; 18:36
24Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they questioned.
“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them.
27They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father.
Truth and Freedom
30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
34Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.8:34 Rm 6:17–20; 2Pt 2:19
35A slave does not remain in the household forever,8:35 1Jn 2:17 but a son does remain forever.8:35 Gn 21:10; Lk 15:31; Gl 4:30
36So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.
39“Our father is Abraham,” they replied.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.8:39 Gl 3:7,9
40But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth8:40 Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6 that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
“We weren’t born8:41 1Jn 2:29 of sexual immorality,”8:41 Hs 2:4; 1Th 4:3 they said. “We have one Father — God.”8:41 Dt 32:6
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,8:42 Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27; 1Jn 5:1 because I came from God8:42 Jn 13:3; 16:27; 1Jn 5:20 and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me.
43Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to8:43 Or cannot hear my word.8:43 Lk 6:47; Jn 18:32
44You are of your father the devil,8:44 Mt 4:1; Jn 13:2,27; Eph 2:1–3 and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer8:44 1Jn 3:15 from the beginning8:44 Gn 3:1–4; 4:8–9; Ac 26:4; 2Co 11:3; 1Jn 3:8–15; Rv 12:9 and does not stand in the truth,8:44 Jn 14:6; Rm 3:7 because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,8:44 Lit from his own things because he is a liar and the father of lies.
45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
46Who among you can convict me of sin?8:46 Jn 15:22; 1Jn 3:5 If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?
47The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Jesus and Abraham
49
“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me.
52Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’
53Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”
54
“If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father — about whom you say, ‘He is our God’ — he is the one who glorifies me.
57The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” 8:57 Other mss read and Abraham has seen you?
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