John 8:1-59 GNT

[1] Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. [2] Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. [3] The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. [4] "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. [5] In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" [6] They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. [7] As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her." [8] Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. [9] When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. [10] He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" [11] "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again."] [12] Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. "I am the light of the world," he said. "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness." [13] The Pharisees said to him, "Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing." [14] "No," Jesus answered, "even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. [15] You make judgments in a purely human way; I pass judgment on no one. [16] But if I were to do so, my judgment would be true, because I am not alone in this; the Father who sent me is with me. [17] It is written in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true. [18] I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me also testifies on my behalf." [19] "Where is your father?" they asked him. "You know neither me nor my Father," Jesus answered. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." [20] Jesus said all this as he taught in the Temple, in the room where the offering boxes were placed. And no one arrested him, because his hour had not come. [21] Again Jesus said to them, "I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going." [22] So the Jewish authorities said, "He says that we cannot go where he is going. Does this mean that he will kill himself?" [23] Jesus answered, "You belong to this world here below, but I come from above. You are from this world, but I am not from this world. [24] That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you will die in your sins if you do not believe that 'I Am Who I Am'." [25] "Who are you?" they asked him. Jesus answered, "What I have told you from the very beginning. [26] I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him." [27] They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the Father. [28] So he said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that 'I Am Who I Am'; then you will know that I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say. [29] And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him." [30] Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him. [31] So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; [32] you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [33] "We are the descendants of Abraham," they answered, "and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, 'You will be free'?" [34] Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin. [35] A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there forever. [36] If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free. [37] I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not accept my teaching. [38] I talk about what my Father has shown me, but you do what your father has told you." [39] They answered him, "Our father is Abraham." "If you really were Abraham's children," Jesus replied, "you would do the same things that he did. [40] All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this! [41] You are doing what your father did." "God himself is the only Father we have," they answered, "and we are his true children." [42] Jesus said to them, "If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me. [43] Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message. [44] You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. [45] But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. [46] Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? [47] He who comes from God listens to God's words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen." [48] They asked Jesus, "Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?" [49] "I have no demon," Jesus answered. "I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. [50] I am not seeking honor for myself. But there is one who is seeking it and who judges in my favor. [51] I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys my teaching will never die." [52] They said to him, "Now we know for sure that you have a demon! Abraham died, and the prophets died, yet you say that whoever obeys your teaching will never die. [53] Our father Abraham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died. Who do you think you are?" [54] Jesus answered, "If I were to honor myself, that honor would be worth nothing. The one who honors me is my Father-the very one you say is your God. [55] You have never known him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his word. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad." [57] They said to him, "You are not even fifty years old-and you have seen Abraham?" [58] "I am telling you the truth," Jesus replied. "Before Abraham was born, 'I Am'." [59] Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.