An Official Who Refused To Forgive

^21 (A) Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone^[a] who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”

^22 (B) Jesus answered:

Not just 7 times, but 77 times!^[b]

²⁷ Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this and drink it. ^28 (A) This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven.

⁵ When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”

8 ¹ but Jesus walked out to the Mount of Olives. ² Then early the next morning he went to the temple. The people came to him, and he sat down^[a] and started teaching them.

³ The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses brought in a woman who had been caught in bed with a man who wasn't her husband. They made her stand in the middle of the crowd. ⁴ Then they said, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who isn't her husband. ^5 (A) The Law of Moses teaches that a woman like this should be stoned to death! What do you say?”

⁶ They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger.

^7 (B) They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!” ⁸ Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground. ⁹ The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone.

¹⁰ Jesus stood up and asked her, “Where is everyone? Isn't there anyone left to accuse you?”

¹¹ “No sir,” the woman answered.

Then Jesus told her, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore.”^[b]

²² The people asked, “Does he intend to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying we cannot go where he is going?”

²³ Jesus answered, “You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't.