John 8

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

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1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

4they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?”

6This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

7And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

9But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

10Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”

12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13The Pharisees then said to him, “You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony is not true.”

14Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know whence I have come and whither I am going, but you do not know whence I come or whither I am going.

15You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one.

16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me.

17In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true;

18I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.”

19They said to him therefore, “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 taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

21Again he said to them, “I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”

22Then said the Jews, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

23He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

24I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”

25They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Even what I have told you from the beginning.

26I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”

27They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father.

28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.

29And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.”

30As he spoke thus, many believed in him.

31Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,

32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin.

35The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever.

36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

37I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

38I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

39They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did,

40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did.

41You do what your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

44You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

47He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

48The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

49Jesus answered, “I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge.

51Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.”

52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If any one 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?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.

55But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.

56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”

57The Jews then 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.”

59So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

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