John, 8

1. and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

1. but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.

2. Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

3. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in the middle

3. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

4. they said to Jesus, 'Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery,

4. they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

5. and in the Law Moses has ordered us to stone women of this kind. What have you got to say?'

5. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"

6. They asked him this as a test, looking for an accusation to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger.

6. This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

7. As they persisted with their question, he straightened up and said, 'Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her.'

7. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

8. Then he bent down and continued writing on the ground.

8. And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

9. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until the last one had gone and Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained in the middle.

9. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

10. Jesus again straightened up and said, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'

10. Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

11. 'No one, sir,' she replied. 'Neither do I condemn you,' said Jesus. 'Go away, and from this moment sin no more.'

11. She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."

12. When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life.

12. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

13. At this the Pharisees said to him, 'You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not true.'

13. The Pharisees then said to him, "You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony is not true."

14. Jesus replied: Even though I am testifying on my own behalf, my testimony is still true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

14. Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know whence I have come and whither I am going, but you do not know whence I come or whither I am going.

15. You judge by human standards; I judge no one,

15. You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one.

16. but if I judge, my judgement will be true, because I am not alone: the one who sent me is with me;

16. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me.

17. and in your Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

17. In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true;

18. I testify on my own behalf, but the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf, too.

18. I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me."

19. They asked him, 'Where is your Father then?' Jesus answered: You do not know me, nor do you know my Father; if you did know me, you would know my Father as well.

19. They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also."

20. He spoke these words in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

20. These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

21. Again he said to them: I am going away; you will look for me and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.

21. Again he said to them, "I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."

22. So the Jews said to one another, 'Is he going to kill himself, that he says, "Where I am going, you cannot come?" '

22. Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, since he says, `Where I am going, you cannot come'?"

23. Jesus went on: You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

23. He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

24. I have told you already: You will die in your sins. Yes, if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

24. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he."

25. So they said to him, 'Who are you?' Jesus answered: What I have told you from the outset.

25. They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Even what I have told you from the beginning.

26. About you I have much to say and much to judge; but the one who sent me is true, and what I declare to the world I have learnt from him.

26. I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."

27. They did not recognise that he was talking to them about the Father.

27. They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father.

28. So Jesus said: When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of my own accord. What I say is what the Father has taught me;

28. So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.

29. he who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I always do what pleases him.

29. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."

30. As he was saying this, many came to believe in him.

30. As he spoke thus, many believed in him.

31. To the Jews who believed in him Jesus said: If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples;

31. Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,

32. you will come to know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

32. and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

33. They answered, 'We are descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone; what do you mean, "You will be set free?" '

33. They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?"

34. Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave.

34. Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin.

35. Now a slave has no permanent standing in the household, but a son belongs to it for ever.

35. The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever.

36. So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.

36. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

37. I know that you are descended from Abraham; but you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

37. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

38. What I speak of is what I have seen at my Father's side, and you too put into action the lessons you have learnt from your father.

38. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father."

39. They repeated, 'Our father is Abraham.' Jesus said to them: If you are Abraham's children, do as Abraham did.

39. They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did,

40. As it is, you want to kill me, a man who has told you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham did.

40. but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did.

41. You are doing your father's work. They replied, 'We were not born illegitimate, the only father we have is God.'

41. You do what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God."

42. Jesus answered: If God were your father, you would love me, since I have my origin in God and have come from him; I did not come of my own accord, but he sent me.

42. Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

43. Why do you not understand what I say? Because you cannot bear to listen to my words.

43. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

44. You are from your father, the devil, and you prefer to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the start; he was never grounded in the truth; there is no truth in him at all. When he lies he is speaking true to his nature, because he is a liar, and the father of lies.

44. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45. But it is because I speak the truth that you do not believe me.

45. But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

46. Can any of you convict me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?

46. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

47. Whoever comes from God listens to the words of God; the reason why you do not listen is that you are not from God.

47. He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

48. The Jews replied, 'Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and possessed by a devil?' Jesus answered:

48. The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

49. I am not possessed; but I honour my Father, and you deny me honour.

49. Jesus answered, "I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

50. I do not seek my own glory; there is someone who does seek it and is the judge of it.

50. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge.

51. In all truth I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.

51. Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death."

52. The Jews said, 'Now we know that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death."

52. The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, `If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.'

53. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?'

53. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?"

54. Jesus answered: If I were to seek my own glory my glory would be worth nothing; in fact, my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you say, 'He is our God,'

54. Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.

55. although you do not know him. But I know him, and if I were to say, 'I do not know him,' I should be a liar, as you yourselves are. But I do know him, and I keep his word.

55. But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.

56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.

56. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad."

57. The Jews then said, 'You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!'

57. The Jews then said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"

58. Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I am.

58. Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."

59. At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

59. So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.