NETfree - John - 8

8:1  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

8:2  Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.

8:3  The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them

8:4  and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.

8:5  In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?"

8:6  (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

8:7  When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, "Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her."

8:8  Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground.

8:9  Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

8:10  Jesus stood up straight and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"

8:11  She replied, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more."]]

8:12  Then Jesus spoke out again, "I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

8:13  So the Pharisees objected, "You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!"

8:14  Jesus answered, "Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going.

8:15  You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone.

8:16  But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together.

8:17  It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

8:18  I testify about myself and the Father who sent me testifies about me."

8:19  Then they began asking him, "Who is your father?" Jesus answered, "You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too."

8:20  (Jesus spoke these words near the offering box while he was teaching in the temple courts. No one seized him because his time had not yet come.)

8:21  Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come."

8:22  So the Jewish leaders began to say, "Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'"

8:23  Jesus replied, "You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world.

8:24  Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."

8:25  So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus replied, "What I have told you from the beginning.

8:26  I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world."

8:27  (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.)

8:28  Then Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me.

8:29  And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him."

8:30  While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.

8:31  Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, "If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples

8:32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

8:33  "We are descendants of Abraham," they replied, "and have never been anyone's slaves! How can you say, 'You will become free'?"

8:34  Jesus answered them, "I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.

8:35  The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever.

8:36  So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.

8:37  I know that you are Abraham's descendants. But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you.

8:38  I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!"

8:39  They answered him, "Abraham is our father!" Jesus replied, "If you are Abraham's children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham.

8:40  But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this!

8:41  You people are doing the deeds of your father."Then they said to Jesus, "We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself."

8:42  Jesus replied, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me.

8:43  Why don't you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my teaching.

8:44  You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

8:45  But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me.

8:46  Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don't you believe me?

8:47  The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God's words. You don't listen and respond, because you don't belong to God."

8:48  The Judeans replied, "Aren't we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?"

8:49  Jesus answered, "I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father - and yet you dishonor me.

8:50  I am not trying to get praise for myself. There is one who demands it, and he also judges.

8:51  I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death."

8:52  Then the Judeans responded, "Now we know you're possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, 'If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.'

8:53  You aren't greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?"

8:54  Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, 'He is our God.'

8:55  Yet you do not know 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 teaching.

8:56  Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad."

8:57  Then the Judeans replied, "You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?"

8:58  Jesus said to them, "I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!"

8:59  Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.