John 8:1-59 GW

[1] Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. [2] Early the next morning he returned to the temple courtyard. All the people went to him, so he sat down and began to teach them. [3] The experts in Moses' Teachings and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone [4] and asked Jesus, "Teacher, we caught this woman in the act of adultery. [5] In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?" [6] They asked this to test him. They wanted to find a reason to bring charges against him. Jesus bent down and used his finger to write on the ground. [7] When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, "The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her." [8] Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground. [9] One by one, beginning with the older men, the experts in Moses' Teachings and Pharisees left. Jesus was left alone with the woman. [10] Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?" [11] The woman answered, "No one, sir." Jesus said, "I don't condemn you either. Go! From now on don't sin." [12] Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark." [13] The Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn't true." [14] Jesus replied to them, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is true because I know where I came from and where I'm going. However, you don't know where I came from or where I'm going. [15] You judge the way humans do. I don't judge anyone. [16] Even if I do judge, my judgment is valid because I don't make it on my own. I make my judgment with the Father who sent me. [17] Your own teachings say that the testimony of two people is true. [18] I testify on my own behalf, and so does the Father who sent me." [19] The Pharisees asked him, "Where is your father?" Jesus replied, "You don't know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father." [20] Jesus spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury area of the temple courtyard. No one arrested him, because his time had not yet come. [21] Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, "I'm going away, and you'll look for me. But you will die because of your sin. You can't go where I'm going." [22] Then the Jews asked, "Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means when he says, 'You can't go where I'm going'?" [23] Jesus said to them, "You're from below. I'm from above. You're from this world. I'm not from this world. [24] For this reason I told you that you'll die because of your sins. If you don't believe that I am the one, you'll die because of your sins." [25] The Jews asked him, "Who did you say you are?" Jesus told them, "I am who I said I was from the beginning. [26] I have a lot I could say about you and a lot I could condemn you for. But the one who sent me is true. So I tell the world exactly what he has told me." [27] (The Jews didn't know that he was talking to them about the Father.) [28] So Jesus told them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you'll know that I am the one and that I can't do anything on my own. Instead, I speak as the Father taught me. [29] Besides, the one who sent me is with me. He hasn't left me by myself. I always do what pleases him." [30] As Jesus was saying this, many people believed in him. [31] So Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples. [32] You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [33] They replied to Jesus, "We are Abraham's descendants, and we've never been anyone's slaves. So how can you say that we will be set free?" [34] Jesus answered them, "I can guarantee this truth: Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin. [35] A slave doesn't live in the home forever, but a son does. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free. [37] I know that you're Abraham's descendants. However, you want to kill me because you don't like what I'm saying. [38] What I'm saying is what I have seen in my Father's presence. But you do what you've heard from your father." [39] The Jews replied to Jesus, "Abraham is our father." Jesus told them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did. [40] I am a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. But now you want to kill me. Abraham wouldn't have done that. [41] You're doing what your father does." The Jews said to Jesus, "We're not illegitimate children. God is our only Father." [42] Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I'm here, and I came from God. I didn't come on my own. Instead, God sent me. [43] Why don't you understand the language I use? Is it because you can't understand the words I use? [44] You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn't know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he's doing what comes naturally to him. He's a liar and the father of lies. [45] So you don't believe me because I tell the truth. [46] Can any of you convict me of committing a sin? If I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me? [47] The person who belongs to God understands what God says. You don't understand because you don't belong to God." [48] The Jews replied to Jesus, "Aren't we right when we say that you're a Samaritan and that you're possessed by a demon?" [49] Jesus answered, "I'm not possessed. I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. [50] I don't want my own glory. But there is someone who wants it, and he is the judge. [51] I can guarantee this truth: Whoever obeys what I say will never see death." [52] The Jews told Jesus, "Now we know that you're possessed by a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, but you say, 'Whoever does what I say will never taste death.' [53] Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets have also died. Who do you think you are?" [54] Jesus said, "If I bring glory to myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who gives me glory, and you say that he is your God. [55] Yet, you haven't known him. However, I know him. If I would say that I didn't know him, I would be a liar like all of you. But I do know him, and I do what he says. [56] Your father Abraham was pleased to see that my day was coming. He saw it and was happy." [57] The Jews said to Jesus, "You're not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?" [58] Jesus told them, "I can guarantee this truth: Before Abraham was ever born, I am." [59] Then some of the Jews picked up stones to throw at Jesus. However, Jesus was concealed, and he left the temple courtyard.