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^1 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(a)

8 ¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(C1)

An Adulteress Forgiven

² At dawn he went to the temple^(C1) again, and all the people were coming to him.^(C2) He sat down^(C3) and began to teach them.

³ Then the scribes and the Pharisees^(C1) brought a woman caught in adultery,^(C2) making her stand in the center. ⁴ “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.^{(C1) 5} In the law Moses^(C1) commanded us to stone such women.^(C2) So what do you say?” ⁶ They asked this to trap him,^(C1) in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin⁸ Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. ⁹ When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. ¹⁰ When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, Lord,”^(F1) she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,”^(C1) said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

The Light of the World

¹² Jesus spoke to them again: “I am

¹³ So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

¹⁴ “Even if I testify about myself,”¹⁵ You judge¹⁶ And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.¹⁷ Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.¹⁸ I am the one who testifies

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?”

“You know neither me nor my Father,”^(C1) Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”^{(C2) 20} He spoke these words by the treasury,^(C1) while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus Predicts His Departure

²¹ Then he said to them again, “I’m going away;

²² So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’

²³ “You are from below,”²⁴ Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they questioned.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. ²⁶ “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me

²⁷ They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,²⁹ The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,

Truth and Freedom

³⁰ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

³¹ Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,³² You will know the truth,

³³ “We are descendants^(F1) of Abraham,”^(C1) they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’

³⁴ Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.³⁵ A slave does not remain in the household forever,³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.³⁷ I know you are descendants of Abraham,³⁸ I speak what I have seen

³⁹ “Our father is Abraham,” they replied.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.^{(C1) 40} But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth⁴¹ You’re doing what your father does.”

“We weren’t born^(C2) of sexual immorality,”^(C3) they said. “We have one Father—God.”^(C4)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil,⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.⁴⁶ Who among you can convict me of sin?⁴⁷ The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

Jesus and Abraham

⁴⁸ The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan^(C1) and have a demon?” ^(C2)

⁴⁹ “I do not have a demon,”⁵⁰ I do not seek my own glory;⁵¹ Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word,

⁵² Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”

⁵⁴ “If I glorify myself,”⁵⁵ You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him,⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it

⁵⁷ The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” ^(F1)

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”

⁵⁹ So they picked up stones^(C1) to throw at him.^(C2) But Jesus was hidden^(F1)(C3) and went out of the temple.^(F2)(C4)