Joh 8 | HCSB | STEP | %VerseAppearsInRawTextButIsEmpty% But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives .

‏ John 8

1 %VerseAppearsInRawTextButIsEmpty% But Jesus went to the ^{▼▼Mount of Olives: A mountain east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley}Mount of Olives. ^b

An Adulteress Forgiven

2 At dawn He went to the ^{▼▼temple complex: In the Jerusalem temple, the complex included the sanctuary (the holy place and the holy of holies), at least 4 courtyards (for priests, Jewish men, Jewish women, and Gentiles), numerous gates, and several covered walkways.}temple complex ^d again, and all the people were coming to Him. ^e He sat down ^f and began to teach them.

3 Then the ^{▼▼scribe(s): A professional group in Judaism that copied the law of Moses and interpreted it, especially in legal cases}scribes and the ^{▼▼Pharisee(s): In Judaism a religious sect that followed the whole written and oral law}Pharisees ⁱ brought a woman caught in adultery, ^j making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. ^k 5 In the law Moses ^l commanded us to stone such women. ^m So what do You say?” 6 They asked this to trap Him, ⁿ 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 sin ^o among you ^p should be the first to throw a stone at her.” ^q

8 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: When used in direct address, "Woman" was not a term of disrespect but of honor.}Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” ^{▼▼Or Sir; Jn 4:15,49; 5:7; 6:34; 9:36} she answered.“Neither do I condemn you,” ^t said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”] ^{▼▼Other mss omit bracketed text}

The Light of the World

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am ^v the light ^w of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” ^x

13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” ^{▼▼The law of Moses required at least 2 witnesses to make a claim legally valid (v. 17).}

14 “Even if I testify about Myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is valid, ^{▼▼Or true} because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. ^aa 15 You judge ^ab by human standards. ^{▼▼Lit You judge according to the flesh
,} ^ad I judge no one. ^ae 16 And if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me judge ^af together. ^ag 17 Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men is valid. ^ah 18 I am the One who testifies ^ai about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”

19 Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father?”“You know neither Me nor My Father,” ^aj Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.” ^ak 20 He spoke these words by the treasury, ^{▼▼A place for offerings to be given, perhaps in the court of women
,} ^am while teaching in the temple complex. But no one seized Him, because His hour ^{▼▼The time of His sacrificial death and exaltation; Jn 2:4; 7:30; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1} had not come.

Jesus Predicts His Departure

21 Then He said to them again, “I’m going away; ^ao you will look for Me, and you will die in your sin. ^ap Where I’m going, you cannot come.” ^aq

22 So the ^{▼▼Jew(s): In Jn the term Jews usually indicates those in Israel who were opposed to Jesus, particularly the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem who led the nation.}Jews said again, “He won’t kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’ ^as?”

23 “You are from below,” He told them, “I am from above. ^at You are of this world; ^au I am not of this ^{▼▼world: The organized Satanic system that is opposed to God and hostile to Jesus and His followers. The non-Christian culture including governments, educational systems, and businesses}world. ^aw 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, ^{▼▼Jesus claimed to be deity, but the Pharisees didn’t understand His meaning.} you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are You?” they questioned.“Precisely 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 ^ay is true, and what I have heard from Him – these things I tell the world.” ^az

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: The most frequent title Jesus used for Himself; Dn 7:13}Son of Man, ^bb then you will know that I am ^bc He, and that I do nothing on My own. ^bd But just as the Father taught Me, I say these things. 29 The One who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, ^be because I always do what pleases Him.”

Truth and Freedom

30 As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, ^{▼▼Or My teaching, or My message
,} ^bg you really are My disciples. 32 You will know the truth, ^bh and the truth will set you free.”

33 “We are descendants ^{▼▼Or offspring; lit seed; Jn 7:42} of Abraham,” ^bj they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus responded, “ ^{▼▼I assure you: This is a phrase used only by Jesus to testify to the certainty and importance of His words; in Mt, Mk and Lk it is literally Amen, I say to you, and in Jn it is literally Amen, amen, I say to you.}I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a ^{▼▼slave: The strong Greek word doulos cannot be accurately translated in English by "servant" or "bond servant"; the HCSB translates this word as "slave," not out of insensitivity to the legitimate concerns of modern English speakers, but out of a commitment to accurately convey the brutal reality of the Roman empire's inhumane institution as well as the ownership called for by Christ.}slave of sin. ^bm 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, ^bn but a son does remain forever. ^bo 36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you are descendants ^{▼▼Or offspring; lit seed; Jn 7:42} of Abraham, ^bq but you are trying to kill Me because My word ^{▼▼Or My teaching, or My message} is not welcome among you. 38 I speak what I have seen ^bs in the presence of the Father; ^{▼▼Other mss read of My Father
,} ^bu therefore, you do what you have heard from your father.”

39 “Our father is Abraham!” they replied.“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. ^bv 40 But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth ^bw that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! 41 You’re doing what your father does.” ^bx“We weren’t born ^by of sexual immorality,” ^bz they said. “We have one Father – God.” ^ca

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, ^cb because I came from God ^cc and I am here. For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to ^{▼▼Or cannot hear} My word. ^ce 44 You are of your father the Devil, ^cf and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer ^cg from the beginning ^ch and has not stood in the truth, ^ci because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, ^{▼▼Lit from his own things} because he is a liar and the father of liars. ^{▼▼Lit of it} 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Who among you can convict Me of sin? ^cl If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 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(s): People of mixed, Gentile/ Jewish ancestry who lived between Galilee and Judea and were hated by the Jews}Samaritan ^cn and have a demon?” ^co

49 “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek My glory; ^cp the One who seeks it also judges. 51 I assure you: If anyone keeps My word, ^cq he will never see death – ever!”

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 – ever!’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham who died? Even the prophets died. Who do You pretend to be?” ^{▼▼Lit Who do You make Yourself?}

54 “If I glorify Myself,” Jesus answered, “My glory is nothing. My Father – you say about Him, ‘He is our God’ – He is the One who glorifies Me. 55 You’ve never known Him, but I know Him. If I were to say I don’t know Him, ^cs I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, ^ct and I keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it ^cu and rejoiced.”

57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t 50 years old yet, and You’ve seen Abraham?” ^{▼▼Other mss read and Abraham has seen You?}

58 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.” ^{▼▼I AM is the name God gave Himself at the burning bush; Ex 3:13-14; see note at Jn 8:24.
,} ^cx

59 At that, they picked up stones ^cy to throw at Him. ^cz But Jesus was hidden ^{▼▼Or Jesus hid Himself
,} ^db and went out of the temple complex. ^{▼▼Other mss add and having gone through their midst, He passed by
,} ^dd