John 8 - New International Version (NIV)

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

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(B) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(C) Now what do you say?” ⁶ 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. ⁷ 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) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ 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

Cross references

1. John 8:1 : S Mt 21:1
2. John 8:2 : ver 20; S Mt 26:55
3. John 8:5 : Lev 20:10; Dt 22:22; Job 31:11
4. John 8:6 : Mt 22:15, 18
5. John 8:6 : S Mt 12:10
6. John 8:7 : Dt 17:7; Eze 16:40
7. John 8:7 : Ro 2:1, 22
8. John 8:11 : Jn 3:17
9. John 8:11 : Jn 5:14
10. John 8:12 : S Jn 6:35
11. John 8:12 : S Jn 1:4
12. John 8:12 : Pr 4:18; Mt 5:14
13. John 8:13 : Jn 5:31
14. John 8:14 : Jn 13:3; 16:28
15. John 8:14 : Jn 7:28; 9:29
16. John 8:15 : S Jn 7:24
17. John 8:15 : Jn 3:17
18. John 8:16 : Jn 5:30
19. John 8:17 : S Mt 18:16
20. John 8:18 : Jn 5:37
21. John 8:19 : Jn 16:3
22. John 8:19 : S 1Jn 2:23
23. John 8:20 : S Mt 26:55
24. John 8:20 : Mk 12:41
25. John 8:20 : S Mt 26:18
26. John 8:21 : Eze 3:18
27. John 8:21 : Jn 7:34; 13:33
28. John 8:23 : Jn 3:31; 17:14
29. John 8:24 : Jn 4:26; 13:19
30. John 8:26 : Jn 7:28
31. John 8:26 : Jn 3:32; 15:15
32. John 8:28 : S Jn 12:32
33. John 8:28 : S Jn 14:24
34. John 8:29 : ver 16; Jn 16:32
35. John 8:29 : Isa 50:5; Jn 4:34; 5:30; 6:38
36. John 8:30 : S Jn 7:31
37. John 8:31 : Jn 15:7; 2Jn 9
38. John 8:32 : ver 36; Ro 8:2; 2Co 3:17; Gal 5:1, 13
39. John 8:33 : ver 37, 39; S Lk 3:8
40. John 8:34 : S Ro 6:16
41. John 8:35 : Gal 4:30
42. John 8:36 : ver 32
43. John 8:37 : ver 39, 40
44. John 8:38 : Jn 5:19, 30; 14:10, 24
45. John 8:38 : ver 41, 44
46. John 8:39 : ver 37; S Lk 3:8
47. John 8:40 : S Mt 12:14
48. John 8:40 : ver 26
49. John 8:41 : ver 38, 44
50. John 8:41 : Isa 63:16; 64:8
51. John 8:42 : 1Jn 5:1
52. John 8:42 : S Jn 13:3
53. John 8:42 : Jn 7:28
54. John 8:42 : S Jn 3:17
55. John 8:44 : 1Jn 3:8
56. John 8:44 : ver 38, 41
57. John 8:44 : Ge 3:4; 4:9; 2Ch 18:21; Ps 5:6; 12:2
58. John 8:45 : Jn 18:37
59. John 8:47 : Jn 18:37; 1Jn 4:6
60. John 8:48 : S Mt 10:5
61. John 8:48 : ver 52; S Mk 3:22
62. John 8:50 : ver 54; Jn 5:41
63. John 8:51 : Jn 11:26
64. John 8:52 : ver 48; S Mk 3:22
65. John 8:53 : ver 39; Jn 4:12
66. John 8:54 : ver 50
67. John 8:54 : Jn 16:14; 17:1, 5
68. John 8:55 : ver 19
69. John 8:55 : Jn 7:28, 29
70. John 8:55 : Jn 15:10
71. John 8:56 : ver 37, 39; Ge 18:18
72. John 8:56 : S Mt 13:17
73. John 8:58 : S Jn 1:2
74. John 8:58 : Ex 3:14; 6:3
75. John 8:59 : Ex 17:4; Lev 24:16; 1Sa 30:6; Jn 10:31; 11:8
76. John 8:59 : Jn 12:36