John 8 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

8 ¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(A)

An Adulteress Forgiven

² At dawn he went to the temple^(B) again, and all the people were coming to him.^(C) He sat down^(D) and began to teach them.

³ Then the scribes and the Pharisees^(E) brought a woman caught in adultery,^(F) making her stand in the center. ⁴ “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.^{(G) 5} In the law Moses^(H) commanded us to stone such women.^(I) So what do you say?” ⁶ They asked this to trap him,^(J) in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin^(K) among you^(L) should be the first to throw a stone at her.”^{(M) 8} Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. ⁹ When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. ¹⁰ When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, Lord,”^[a] she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,”^(N) said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

The Light of the World

¹² Jesus spoke to them again: “I am^(O) the light^(P) of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”^(Q)

¹³ So 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.^{(R) 15} You judge^(S) by human standards.^[b](T) I judge no one.^{(U) 16} And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.^{(V) 17} Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(W) 18} I am the one who testifies^(X) about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

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

“You know neither me nor my Father,”^(Y) Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”^{(Z) 20} He spoke these words by the treasury,^(AA) while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus Predicts His Departure

²¹ Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; ^(AB) you will look for me, and you will die in your sin.^(AC) Where I’m going, you cannot come.”^(AD)

²² So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’^(AE)?”

²³ “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above.^(AF) You are of this world; ^(AG) I am not of this world.^{(AH) 24} Therefore 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. ²⁶ “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me^(AI) is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”^(AJ)

²⁷ They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,^(AK) then you will know that I am^(AL) he, and that I do nothing on my own.^(AM) But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. ²⁹ The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,^(AN) because I always do what pleases him.”

Truth and Freedom

³⁰ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

³¹ Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,^[c](AO) you really are my disciples. ³² You will know the truth,^(AP) and the truth will set you free.”

³³ “We are descendants^[d] of Abraham,”^(AQ) they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.^{(AR) 35} A slave does not remain in the household forever,^(AS) but a son does remain forever.^{(AT) 36} So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know you are descendants of Abraham,^(AU) but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. ³⁸ I speak what I have seen^(AV) in the presence of the Father; ^[e](AW) so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹ “Our father is Abraham,” they replied.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.^{(AX) 40} But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth^(AY) that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹ You’re doing what your father does.”^(AZ)

“We weren’t born^(BA) of sexual immorality,”^(BB) they said. “We have one Father—God.”^(BC)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(BD) because I came from God^(BE) and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to^[f] my word.^{(BF) 44} You are of your father the devil,^(BG) and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer^(BH) from the beginning^(BI) and does not stand in the truth,^(BJ) because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,^[g] because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Who among you can convict me of sin?^(BK) If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ The 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

⁴⁸ The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan^(BL) and have a demon?” ^(BM)

⁴⁹ “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I do not seek my own glory; ^(BN) there is one who seeks it and judges. ⁵¹ Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word,^(BO) he will never see death.”

⁵² Then 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.’ ⁵³ Are 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. ⁵⁵ You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him,^(BP) I would be a liar like you. But I do know him,^(BQ) and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it^(BR) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” ^[h]

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”^(BS)

⁵⁹ So they picked up stones^(BT) to throw at him.^(BU) But Jesus was hidden^[i](BV) and went out of the temple.^[j](BW)

Footnotes

1. 8:11 Or Sir; Jn 4:15,49; 5:7; 6:34; 9:36
2. 8:15 Lit You judge according to the flesh
3. 8:31 Or my teaching, or my message, also in v. 37
4. 8:33 Or offspring; lit seed, also in v. 37; Jn 7:42
5. 8:38 Other mss read of my Father
6. 8:43 Or cannot hear
7. 8:44 Lit from his own things
8. 8:57 Other mss read and Abraham has seen you?
9. 8:59 Or Jesus hid himself
10. 8:59 Other mss add and having gone through their midst, he passed by

Cross references

1. 8:1 : Mt 21:1
2. 8:2 : Ac 21:26
3. 8:2 : Mk 1:45
4. 8:2 : Mk 9:35
5. 8:3 : Mk 7:3
6. 8:3 : Nm 5:11
7. 8:4 : Mt 5:27–28
8. 8:5 : Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2
9. 8:5 : Lv 20:10; Dt 22:22–24; Ezk 16:38–41
10. 8:6 : Lk 11:54
11. 8:7 : Rm 3:23; 6:23
12. 8:7 : Rm 2:1,22
13. 8:7 : Dt 17:7
14. 8:11 : Jn 3:17
15. 8:12 : Ex 3:14; Jn 8:24,58
16. 8:12 : Ps 36:9; Jn 12:46; 1Jn 2:8
17. 8:12 : Ex 13:21–22; 14:19–25; Is 42:6; 49:6; 60:19–22; Zch 14:5–8; Jn 9:5; 12:46
18. 8:14 : Jn 3:8; 7:28; 9:29; 12:35; 13:3,36; 14:5; 16:5,28; 1Jn 2:11
19. 8:15 : Lk 6:37; Rv 19:11
20. 8:15 : Php 3:3
21. 8:15 : Jn 3:17; 12:47
22. 8:16 : Mt 12:41; Jn 16:32; 2Th 1:5
23. 8:17 : Nm 35:30; Jn 8:14
24. 8:18 : 1Jn 5:7,9
25. 8:19 : Jn 7:28; 1Jn 2:23
26. 8:19 : Lk 10:22; Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8
27. 8:20 : Mk 12:41,43; Lk 21:1
28. 8:21 : Jn 14:2; 16:5
29. 8:21 : Dt 24:16; Ezk 3:18; 33:8; Jn 15:22; Rm 3:23; 6:23
30. 8:21 : Jn 7:34,36; 8:22; 13:33
31. 8:22 : Jn 8:21
32. 8:23 : Jn 3:13,31; 18:36; Col 3:1–2
33. 8:23 : 1Jn 4:5
34. 8:23 : Jn 15:19; 17:14–16; 18:36
35. 8:26 : Jn 5:19
36. 8:26 : Jn 3:32; 15:15
37. 8:28 : Mk 2:10
38. 8:28 : Jn 8:24
39. 8:28 : Mk 6:5; Jn 9:33; 15:5
40. 8:29 : Jn 16:32; Ac 10:38
41. 8:31 : Jn 2:22; 18:32
42. 8:32 : Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6; 2Th 2:10
43. 8:33 : Gn 16:15; Jn 8:37; Heb 2:16
44. 8:34 : Rm 6:17–20; 2Pt 2:19
45. 8:35 : 1Jn 2:17
46. 8:35 : Gn 21:10; Lk 15:31; Gl 4:30
47. 8:37 : Lk 19:9; Jn 8:31–47; Ac 13:26; Rm 4:11,16; Gl 3:7
48. 8:38 : Jn 3:32; 5:19; 6:46
49. 8:38 : Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42
50. 8:39 : Gl 3:7,9
51. 8:40 : Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6
52. 8:41 : 2Jn 9
53. 8:41 : 1Jn 2:29
54. 8:41 : Hs 2:4; 1Th 4:3
55. 8:41 : Dt 32:6
56. 8:42 : Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27; 1Jn 5:1
57. 8:42 : Jn 13:3; 16:27; 1Jn 5:20
58. 8:43 : Lk 6:47; Jn 18:32
59. 8:44 : Mt 4:1; Jn 13:2,27; Eph 2:1–3
60. 8:44 : 1Jn 3:15
61. 8:44 : Gn 3:1–4; 4:8–9; Ac 26:4; 2Co 11:3; 1Jn 3:8–15; Rv 12:9
62. 8:44 : Jn 14:6; Rm 3:7
63. 8:46 : Jn 15:22; 1Jn 3:5
64. 8:48 : Lk 9:52; Ac 1:8
65. 8:48 : Jn 7:20; 10:20; Rv 9:20; 18:2
66. 8:50 : Jn 17:24; Php 3:19; 1Pt 5:4
67. 8:51 : Jn 8:52,55; 14:23–24; 15:20; 17:6; 18:32; 1Jn 2:5; Rv 1:3; 3:8,10; 22:7,9
68. 8:55 : Jn 7:28
69. 8:55 : Mt 11:27
70. 8:56 : Lk 10:24; Heb 11:13–19
71. 8:58 : Ex 3:14; Ps 45:8; Jn 1:15; 8:24; 17:5; Col 1:17
72. 8:59 : Jn 10:33
73. 8:59 : Ex 17:4; Lv 24:16; 1Sm 30:6; 1Kg 21:10–13; Jn 10:31; 11:8
74. 8:59 : Lk 4:30; Jn 12:36
75. 8:59 : Ac 21:26