8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
8:2 And 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.
8:3 Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard,
8:4 they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery.
8:5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
8:6 Now 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.
8:7 When 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.”
8:8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
8:9 Now 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.
8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
8:11 She said, “No one, ①Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”]]
▷ ①Or Sir
8:12 Then 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.”
8:13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not ①true.”
▷ ①Or valid
8:14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is ①true, 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.
▷ ①Or valid
8:15 You judge ①according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
▷ ①I.e., by a carnal standard
8:16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.
8:17 Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is ①true.
▷ ①I.e., valid or admissible
8:18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”
8:19 So 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.”
8:20 These words He spoke ①in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.
▷ ①Or at
8:21 Then 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.”
8:22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
8:23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that ①I am, you will die in your sins.”
▷ ①Or I AM, you will die...; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM
8:25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “ ①What have I even been saying to you from the beginning?
▷ ①Or That which I have even been saying to you from the beginning
8:26 I 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.”
8:27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father.
8:28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that ①I am, and I do nothing ②on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me.
▷ ①Or I AM, and...; (see note v 24) ②Or of Myself
8:29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He ①has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
▷ ①Or did not leave
8:30 As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.
8:31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples;
8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
8:33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
8:35 Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.
8:37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word ①has no place in you.
▷ ①Or is making no headway among you
8:38 I speak of the things which I have seen ①with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
▷ ①Or in the presence of
8:39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.
8:40 But 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.
8:41 You 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.”
8:42 Jesus 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 ①on My own, but ②He sent Me.
▷ ①Or of Myself ②Lit that One
8:43 Why do you not understand ①what I am saying? It is because you cannot listen to My word.
▷ ①Or My way of speaking
8:44 You 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 ①a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of ②lies.
▷ ①Lit the lie ②Lit it
8:45 But because I say the truth, you do not believe Me.
8:46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
8:47 The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
8:48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a Samaritan, and You have a demon?”
8:49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
8:50 But I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges.
8:51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.”
8:52 The 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.’
8:53 You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?”
8:54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;
8:55 and 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.
8:56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.”
8:57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”
8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham ①was born, ②I am.”
▷ ①Lit came into being ②Or I AM; Jesus may be referring to Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM
8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.