耶稣却往橄榄山去。

淫妇被赦免

清晨,耶稣又来到圣殿,全体民众到他那里,他就坐下,开始教导他们。

这时,经文士们和法利赛人带来一个在通奸时被抓住的妇人,叫她站在中间。 他们对耶稣说:“老师,这妇人是正在通奸的时候被抓住的。 摩西在律法上吩咐我们用石头砸死这样的女人,既然如此,你怎么说呢?” 他们说这话是要试探耶稣,为要找把柄[a]来控告他。

耶稣却弯下腰,开始用指头在地上写字。 可是当他们不停地追问耶稣的时候,耶稣就直起身来,对他们说:“你们当中谁没有罪,谁就先用石头砸她吧!”

然后他又弯下腰去,继续在地上写字。 他们听了这话,[b]从年长的开始[c],一个接一个地走开了。最后,只剩下耶稣和那站在中间的妇人。 10 耶稣直起身来[d]问她:“妇人,他们[e]在哪里?没有人定你的罪吗?”

11 她说:“主啊,没有。”

耶稣说:“我也不定你的罪。你回去吧!从今以后不要再犯罪了。”[f]

世界的光

12 耶稣又对众人说:“我就是世界的光。跟从我的人,绝不会在黑暗里行走,却要得到生命的光。”

13 法利赛人对他说:“你为自己做见证,你的见证是无效[g]的。”

14 耶稣回答:“即使我为自己做见证,我的见证也是有效[h]的,因为我知道我从哪里来,往哪里去;而你们却不知道我从哪里来,往哪里去。 15 你们是按人[i]的标准来评断,我却不评断任何人。 16 不过,就算我评断,我的评断也是真实的,因为我不是独自一人,而是有那派我来的父与我同在。 17 连你们的律法上也记载着:两个人的见证才是有效的。 18 我为自己做见证,派我来的父也为我做见证。”

19 他们就问耶稣:“你的‘父’在哪里?”

耶稣回答:“你们既不认识我,也不认识我的父;如果你们认识我,也就认识我的父。” 20 这些话是耶稣在圣殿的奉献箱附近教导人的时候说的。可是没有人抓他,因为他的时候还没有到。

耶稣预言离世

21 后来,耶稣又对他们说:“我要去了,你们将要寻找我,并且将死在自己的罪中。我去的地方,你们不能去。”

22 那些犹太人就说:“他说‘我去的地方,你们不能去’,难道他要自杀吗?”

23 耶稣对他们说:“你们从下面来,我从上面来;你们属于这世界,我不属于这世界。 24 所以我对你们说过‘你们将死在自己的罪孽中。’事实上,你们如果不信我就是那一位,就将死在自己的罪孽中。”

25 他们问:“你到底是谁?”

耶稣说:“我从一开始就告诉你们了。 26 关于你们,我有很多事要说、要评断;不过派我来的那一位是真实的,我从他那里听了这些事,就向世人说出来。”

27 他们不明白耶稣对他们说的是有关父的事。 28 所以耶稣说:“你们举起人子的时候,你们那时就会明白我就是那一位,也会明白我不凭自己做什么,而且我说这些话,也是照着父所教导我的。 29 派我来的那一位与我同在;他[j]没有撇下我,使我独自一人,因为我一直做他所喜悦的事。”

真理与自由

30 耶稣说这些话的时候,许多人就信了他。 31 于是耶稣对信他的犹太人说:“你们如果住在我的话语中,就真是我的门徒了, 32 并且你们将明白真理,而真理将使你们自由。”

33 他们回答:“我们是亚伯拉罕的后裔,从来没有做过谁的奴仆。你怎么说‘你们将要得自由’呢?”

34 耶稣回答:“我确确实实地告诉你们:所有犯罪的,就是罪的奴隶。 35 奴隶不会永远住在家里,儿子却会永远住在家里。 36 所以,如果子使你们自由,你们就真正自由了。 37 我知道你们是亚伯拉罕的后裔。可是你们想要杀我,因为你们里面容不下我的话语。 38 我所说的,是我从我[k]父那里所看到的;而实际上,你们所做的,是从你们的[l]父那里所听到[m]的。”

39 他们回答说:“亚伯拉罕是我们的父!”

耶稣说:“如果你们是亚伯拉罕的儿女,就会做亚伯拉罕所做的事。 40 但如今,我把从神那里所听到的真理告诉了你们,你们就想杀我。亚伯拉罕没有做过这种事。 41 你们在做你们的父所做的事。”

他们回答说:“我们不是由淫乱所生的,我们只有一位父,就是神。”

42 耶稣说:“如果神是你们的父,你们就会爱我,因为我是出于神,并且从神那里来。要知道,我并不是凭自己而来的,而是那一位差派了我。 43 你们为什么不明白我的话呢?这是因为你们听不进我的话语。 44 你们属于你们的父——魔鬼,并且想要随你们父的欲望去做。他从起初就是杀人的,不站在真理之中,因为他里面没有真理。他说虚假之事是出于自己的本性,因为他本来就是个说谎者,并且是说谎者之父。 45 可是因为我讲真理,你们就不相信我! 46 你们当中谁能指证我有罪呢?既然我讲的是真理,你们为什么不相信我呢? 47 属神的人,就听神的话语;你们之所以不听,是因为你们不属于神。”

耶稣与亚伯拉罕

48 那些犹太人回答说:“我们说你是个撒马利亚人,并且有鬼魔附身,难道说得不对吗?”

49 耶稣回答:“我没有鬼魔附身。我尊重我的父,你们却侮辱我。 50 我不寻求自己的荣耀,但有寻求和判断的那一位。 51 我确确实实地告诉你们:人如果遵守我的话语,就绝不见死亡,直到永远。”

52 犹太人说:“现在我们知道你是有鬼魔附身的。亚伯拉罕死了,先知们也死了,你还说‘人如果遵守我的话语,就绝不会尝到死的滋味,直到永远。’ 53 难道你比我们的先祖亚伯拉罕更大吗?他死了,先知们也死了。你把自己当做什么人?”

54 耶稣回答:“如果我荣耀自己,我的荣耀就算不得什么。荣耀我的是我的父,就是你们说‘他是我们的神’的那一位。 55 你们不认识他,我却认识他。如果我说我不认识他,我就成了像你们那样的说谎者。但我认识他,也遵守他的话语。 56 你们的先祖亚伯拉罕因为将要看到我的日子就快乐。他看到了,就欢喜。”

57 犹太人就对他说:“你还不到五十岁,怎么会见过亚伯拉罕[n]

58 耶稣对他们说:“我确确实实地告诉你们:亚伯拉罕存在之前,我就存在了。”

59 他们因此拿起石头要砸他。耶稣却被隐藏,[o]离开了圣殿。

Footnotes

  1. 约翰福音 8:6 把柄——辅助词语。
  2. 约翰福音 8:9 有古抄本附“受到良心的责备,”。
  3. 约翰福音 8:9 有古抄本附“到年幼的”。
  4. 约翰福音 8:10 有古抄本附“除了那妇人以外没有见到任何人”。
  5. 约翰福音 8:10 他们——有古抄本作“那些控告你的人”。
  6. 约翰福音 8:11 有古抄本没有7:53-8:11。
  7. 约翰福音 8:13 无效——原文直译“不真实”。
  8. 约翰福音 8:14 有效——原文直译“真实”。
  9. 约翰福音 8:15 人——原文直译“肉体”。
  10. 约翰福音 8:29 他——有古抄本作“父”。
  11. 约翰福音 8:38 有古抄本没有“我”。
  12. 约翰福音 8:38 有古抄本没有“你们的”。
  13. 约翰福音 8:38 听到——有古抄本作“看到”。
  14. 约翰福音 8:57 怎么会见过亚伯拉罕?——有古抄本作“亚伯拉罕怎么会见过你?”
  15. 约翰福音 8:59 有古抄本附“从他们中间过去,”。

but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(A)

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.(B) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.(C) Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap,(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone(F) at her.”(G) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(I)


Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am(J) the light of the world.(K) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(L)

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”(M)

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.(N) But you have no idea where I come from(O) or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;(P) I pass judgment on no one.(Q) 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.(R) 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.(S) 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”(T)

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

“You do not know me or my Father,”(U) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(V) 20 He spoke these words while teaching(W) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.(X) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.(Y)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die(Z) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”(AA)

22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.(AB) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,(AC) you will indeed die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,(AD) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”(AE)

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man,(AF) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.(AG) 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,(AH) for I always do what pleases him.”(AI) 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.(AJ)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,(AK) you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(AL)

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(AM) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(AN) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(AO) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(AP) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(AQ) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(AR) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[b](AS)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(AT) said Jesus, “then you would[c] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(AU) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(AV) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(AW)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(AX)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(AY) for I have come here from God.(AZ) I have not come on my own;(BA) God sent me.(BB) 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil,(BC) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(BD) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(BE) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(BF) you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(BG) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(BH) and demon-possessed?”(BI)

49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself;(BJ) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”(BK)

52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!(BL) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham?(BM) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(BN) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(BO) 55 Though you do not know him,(BP) I know him.(BQ) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(BR) 56 Your father Abraham(BS) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(BT) and was glad.”

57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(BU) I am!”(BV) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(BW) but Jesus hid himself,(BX) slipping away from the temple grounds.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:28 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  2. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  3. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then

And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them. The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?” They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” Bending down again, he wrote on the ground. Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd.

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?”

11 She said, “No one, sir.”[a]

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.”[b]

Jesus continues to teach in the temple

12 Jesus spoke to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

13 Then the Pharisees said to him, “Because you are testifying about yourself, your testimony isn’t valid.”

14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, since I know where I came from and where I’m going. You don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge according to human standards, but I judge no one. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I’m not alone. My judgments come from me and from the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the witness of two people is true. 18 I am one witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me is the other.”

19 They asked him, “Where is your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You don’t know me and you don’t know my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple area known as the treasury. No one arrested him, because his time hadn’t yet come.

21 Jesus continued, “I’m going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you can’t come.”

22 The Jewish leaders said, “He isn’t going to kill himself, is he? Is that why he said, ‘Where I’m going, you can’t come’?”

23 He said to them, “You are from below; I’m from above. You are from this world; I’m not from this world. 24 This is why I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When the Human One[c] is lifted up,[d] then you will know that I Am.[e] Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me. 29 He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy.” 30 While Jesus was saying these things, many people came to believe in him.

Children of Abraham

31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?”

34 Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. 36 Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s children, yet you want to kill me because you don’t welcome my teaching. 38 I’m telling you what I’ve seen when I am with the Father, but you are doing what you’ve heard from your father.”

39 They replied, “Our father is Abraham.”

Jesus responded, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do Abraham’s works. 40 Instead, you want to kill me, though I am the one who has spoken the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41 You are doing your father’s works.”

They said, “Our ancestry isn’t in question! The only Father we have is God!”

42 Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God. Here I am. I haven’t come on my own. God sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t really hear my words. 44 Your father is the devil. You are his children, and you want to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has never stood for the truth, because there’s no truth in him. Whenever that liar speaks, he speaks according to his own nature, because he’s a liar and the father of liars. 45 Because I speak the truth, you don’t believe me. 46 Who among you can show I’m guilty of sin? Since I speak the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 God’s children listen to God’s words. You don’t listen to me because you aren’t God’s children.”

48 The Jewish opposition answered, “We were right to say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon, weren’t we?”

49 “I don’t have a demon,” Jesus replied. “But I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I’m not trying to bring glory to myself. There’s one who is seeking to glorify me, and he’s the judge. 51 I assure you that whoever keeps my word will never die.”

Abraham and Jesus

52 The Jewish opposition said to Jesus, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never die.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the prophets died, so who do you make yourself out to be?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is meaningless. My Father, who you say is your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 You don’t know him, but I do. If I said I didn’t know him, I would be like you, a liar. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see my day. He saw it and was happy.”

57 “You aren’t even 50 years old!” the Jewish opposition replied. “How can you say that you have seen Abraham?”

58 “I assure you,” Jesus replied, “before Abraham was, I Am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the temple.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:11 Or Lord
  2. John 8:11 Critical editions of the Gk New Testament do not contain 7:53–8:11.
  3. John 8:28 Or Son of Man
  4. John 8:28 Or exalted
  5. John 8:28 Or that I am he