约翰福音 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
淫妇获赦
8 众人都回家去了，耶稣却上了橄榄山。 2 第二天清晨，祂又回到圣殿。百姓聚集在祂那里，祂就坐下来教导他们。 3 这时候，律法教师和法利赛人带来一个通奸时被捉的女人，让她站在众人面前， 4 然后问耶稣：“老师，这个女人是在通奸时被捉到的。 5 按摩西的律法，我们要用石头把她打死，你说该怎么处置她呢？”
6 他们这样问是要使耶稣落在他们的圈套里，可以有借口控告祂。耶稣却只是弯着腰用指头在地上写字。 7 他们不断地追问耶稣，于是祂直起腰来，对他们说：“你们中间谁没有罪，谁就先拿石头打她吧。” 8 说完，又弯下腰在地上写字。
9 他们听了这句话，就从老到少一个一个地走了，只剩下耶稣和那个女人在那里。 10 耶稣直起腰来，说：“妇人，他们到哪里去了？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。回去吧，从今以后不要再犯罪了。”
世界的光
12 耶稣又对众人说：“我是世界的光，凡跟从我的，必不会走在黑暗里，必要得到生命的光。”
13 法利赛人对祂说：“你自己为自己做见证，你的见证不真实。”
14 耶稣说：“即便我自己为自己做见证，我的见证仍是真实的，因为我知道自己从哪里来、要到哪里去，你们却不知道我从哪里来、要到哪里去。 15 你们只凭外表判断别人，我却不判断人。 16 就算我判断人，我的判断也是正确的，因为我不是独自一人，还有差我来的父与我同在。 17 你们的律法不是说两个人做见证就有效吗？ 18 我是自己为自己做见证，差我来的父也为我做见证。”
19 他们问：“你的父在哪里？”
耶稣回答说：“你们不认识我，也不认识我的父。如果你们认识我，也会认识我的父。” 20 耶稣在圣殿的库房这样教导人，但没有人抓祂，因为祂的时候还没有到。
警告不信的人
21 耶稣又对他们说：“我要走了，你们会寻找我，你们将死在自己的罪中。我去的地方，你们不能去。”
22 犹太人说：“祂说祂去的地方我们不能去，难道祂想自杀吗？”
23 耶稣对他们说：“你们是从下面来的，我是从上面来的。你们属于这世界，我不属于这世界。 24 所以我说你们将死在自己的罪中，你们如果不相信我就是[a]那一位，一定会死在自己的罪中。”
25 他们问：“你到底是谁？”
耶稣回答说：“我不是早就告诉你们了吗？ 26 关于你们，我有许多要说、要审判的，但差我来的那位是真实的，我把从祂那里听到的告诉世人。” 27 他们不明白耶稣是指着父说的。
28 于是耶稣说：“你们举起人子以后，必知道我就是那一位，并且知道我没有一件事是凭自己做的，我所说的都是父教导我的。 29 差我来的那位跟我在一起，祂没有撇下我，让我孤单一人，因为我做的都是祂所喜悦的。” 30 许多人因为这番话而信了耶稣。
真正的自由
31 耶稣对信祂的犹太人说：“你们若持守我的道，就真是我的门徒了。 32 你们必认识真理，真理必叫你们得到自由。”
33 他们说：“我们是亚伯拉罕的子孙，从来没有做过奴隶，你为什么说我们可以得到自由呢？”
34 耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你们，所有犯罪的人都是罪的奴隶。 35 奴隶不能永远留在主人的家里，只有儿子才可以。 36 所以，如果上帝的儿子释放了你们，你们就真正自由了！
耶稣和亚伯拉罕
37 “我知道你们是亚伯拉罕的子孙，但你们却想杀我，因为你们心里容不下我的道。 38 我所说的，是我从父那里看到的，你们却照着你们父[b]的话去做。”
39 他们说：“我们的父就是亚伯拉罕！”
耶稣说：“你们如果真是亚伯拉罕的子孙，一定会做他所做的事。 40 我把从上帝那里听到的真理告诉你们，你们反要杀我，亚伯拉罕绝不做这样的事。 41 你们是在做你们父所做的事。”
他们说：“我们不是从淫乱生的！我们只有一位父，就是上帝。”
42 耶稣说：“如果上帝是你们的父，你们一定会爱我，因为我来自上帝。如今我在这里，我不是凭自己来的，而是上帝差我来的， 43 你们为什么不明白我的话呢？因为你们听不进去我的道。 44 你们是出于你们的父魔鬼，你们乐意顺着它的私欲行。魔鬼从起初就是个杀人凶手，从不站在真理这一边，因为它心里根本没有真理。撒谎是它的本性，因为它是撒谎者，又是撒谎者的始祖。 45 所以，我讲真理的时候，你们不信我。 46 你们谁能指证我有罪呢？我既然把真理告诉了你们，你们为什么还不信我呢？ 47 出于上帝的人听上帝的话，你们不听上帝的话，因为你们不是出于上帝。”
48 犹太人对祂说：“我们说你是撒玛利亚人[c]，被鬼附身了，难道不对吗？”
49 耶稣说：“我没有被鬼附身。我尊敬我的父，你们却侮辱我。 50 我不为自己寻求荣耀，但有一位会为我寻求，祂也会断定谁是谁非。 51 我实实在在地告诉你们，人如果遵行我的道，必永远不死。”
52 那些犹太人说：“现在我们的确知道你是被鬼附身了！亚伯拉罕和众先知都死了，你还说人如果遵行你的道，必永远不死。 53 难道你比我们的祖先亚伯拉罕还大吗？他死了，先知们也死了，你以为你是谁？”
54 耶稣说：“如果我为自己争取荣耀，那荣耀算不了什么。但使我得荣耀的是我的父，你们也称祂为你们的上帝。 55 你们不认识祂，我却认识祂。如果我说我不认识祂，那我就像你们一样是说谎的。然而，我认识祂，并且遵行祂的道。 56 你们的祖先亚伯拉罕曾经欢欢喜喜地盼望看见我来的日子。他看见了，就欢喜快乐。”
57 犹太人说：“你还不到五十岁，怎么会见过亚伯拉罕呢？”
58 耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你们，亚伯拉罕还没有出生，我就已经存在了[d]。” 59 于是，他们就拿起石头要打祂，耶稣却避开他们，离开了圣殿。
約翰福音 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
淫婦獲赦
8 眾人都回家去了，耶穌卻上了橄欖山。 2 第二天清晨，祂又回到聖殿。百姓聚集在祂那裡，祂就坐下來教導他們。 3 這時候，律法教師和法利賽人帶來一個通姦時被捉的女人，讓她站在眾人面前， 4 然後問耶穌：「老師，這個女人是在通姦時被捉到的。 5 按摩西的律法，我們要用石頭把她打死，你說該怎麼處置她呢？」
6 他們這樣問是要使耶穌落在他們的圈套裡，可以有藉口控告祂。耶穌卻只是彎著腰用指頭在地上寫字。 7 他們不斷地追問耶穌，於是祂直起腰來，對他們說：「你們中間誰沒有罪，誰就先拿石頭打她吧。」 8 說完，又彎下腰在地上寫字。
9 他們聽了這句話，就從老到少一個一個地走了，只剩下耶穌和那個女人在那裡。 10 耶穌直起腰來，說：「婦人，他們到哪裡去了？沒有人定你的罪嗎？」
11 她說：「主啊，沒有。」
耶穌說：「我也不定你的罪。回去吧，從今以後不要再犯罪了。」
世界的光
12 耶穌又對眾人說：「我是世界的光，凡跟從我的，必不會走在黑暗裡，必要得到生命的光。」
13 法利賽人對祂說：「你自己為自己做見證，你的見證不真實。」
14 耶穌說：「即便我自己為自己做見證，我的見證仍是真實的，因為我知道自己從哪裡來、要到哪裡去，你們卻不知道我從哪裡來、要到哪裡去。 15 你們只憑外表判斷別人，我卻不判斷人。 16 就算我判斷人，我的判斷也是正確的，因為我不是獨自一人，還有差我來的父與我同在。 17 你們的律法不是說兩個人做見證就有效嗎？ 18 我是自己為自己做見證，差我來的父也為我做見證。」
19 他們問：「你的父在哪裡？」
耶穌回答說：「你們不認識我，也不認識我的父。如果你們認識我，也會認識我的父。」 20 耶穌在聖殿的庫房這樣教導人，但沒有人抓祂，因為祂的時候還沒有到。
警告不信的人
21 耶穌又對他們說：「我要走了，你們會尋找我，你們將死在自己的罪中。我去的地方，你們不能去。」
22 猶太人說：「祂說祂去的地方我們不能去，難道祂想自殺嗎？」
23 耶穌對他們說：「你們是從下面來的，我是從上面來的。你們屬於這世界，我不屬於這世界。 24 所以我說你們將死在自己的罪中，你們如果不相信我就是[a]那一位，一定會死在自己的罪中。」
25 他們問：「你到底是誰？」
耶穌回答說：「我不是早就告訴你們了嗎？ 26 關於你們，我有許多要說、要審判的，但差我來的那位是真實的，我把從祂那裡聽到的告訴世人。」 27 他們不明白耶穌是指著父說的。
28 於是耶穌說：「你們舉起人子以後，必知道我就是那一位，並且知道我沒有一件事是憑自己做的，我所說的都是父教導我的。 29 差我來的那位跟我在一起，祂沒有撇下我，讓我孤單一人，因為我做的都是祂所喜悅的。」 30 許多人因為這番話而信了耶穌。
真正的自由
31 耶穌對信祂的猶太人說：「你們若持守我的道，就真是我的門徒了。 32 你們必認識真理，真理必叫你們得到自由。」
33 他們說：「我們是亞伯拉罕的子孫，從來沒有做過奴隸，你為什麼說我們可以得到自由呢？」
34 耶穌說：「我實實在在地告訴你們，所有犯罪的人都是罪的奴隸。 35 奴隸不能永遠留在主人的家裡，只有兒子才可以。 36 所以，如果上帝的兒子釋放了你們，你們就真正自由了！
耶穌和亞伯拉罕
37 「我知道你們是亞伯拉罕的子孫，但你們卻想殺我，因為你們心裡容不下我的道。 38 我所說的，是我從父那裡看到的，你們卻照著你們父[b]的話去做。」
39 他們說：「我們的父就是亞伯拉罕！」
耶穌說：「你們如果真是亞伯拉罕的子孫，一定會做他所做的事。 40 我把從上帝那裡聽到的真理告訴你們，你們反要殺我，亞伯拉罕絕不做這樣的事。 41 你們是在作你們父所做的事。」
他們說：「我們不是從淫亂生的！我們只有一位父，就是上帝。」
42 耶穌說：「如果上帝是你們的父，你們一定會愛我，因為我來自上帝。如今我在這裡，我不是憑自己來的，而是上帝差我來的， 43 你們為什麼不明白我的話呢？因為你們聽不進去我的道。 44 你們是出於你們的父魔鬼，你們樂意順著牠的私慾行。魔鬼從起初就是個殺人兇手，從不站在真理這一邊，因為牠心裡根本沒有真理。撒謊是牠的本性，因為牠是撒謊者，又是撒謊者的始祖。 45 所以，我講真理的時候，你們不信我。 46 你們誰能指證我有罪呢？我既然把真理告訴了你們，你們為什麼還不信我呢？ 47 出於上帝的人聽上帝的話，你們不聽上帝的話，因為你們不是出於上帝。」
48 猶太人對祂說：「我們說你是撒瑪利亞人[c]，被鬼附身了，難道不對嗎？」
49 耶穌說：「我沒有被鬼附身。我尊敬我的父，你們卻侮辱我。 50 我不為自己尋求榮耀，但有一位會為我尋求，祂也會斷定誰是誰非。 51 我實實在在地告訴你們，人如果遵行我的道，必永遠不死。」
52 那些猶太人說：「現在我們的確知道你是被鬼附身了！亞伯拉罕和眾先知都死了，你還說人如果遵行你的道，必永遠不死。 53 難道你比我們的祖先亞伯拉罕還大嗎？他死了，先知們也死了，你以為你是誰？」
54 耶穌說：「如果我為自己爭取榮耀，那榮耀算不了什麼。但使我得榮耀的是我的父，你們也稱祂為你們的上帝。 55 你們不認識祂，我卻認識祂。如果我說我不認識祂，那我就像你們一樣是說謊的。然而，我認識祂，並且遵行祂的道。 56 你們的祖先亞伯拉罕曾經歡歡喜喜地盼望看到我來的日子。他看見了，就歡喜快樂。」
57 猶太人說：「你還不到五十歲，怎麼會見過亞伯拉罕呢？」
58 耶穌說：「我實實在在地告訴你們，亞伯拉罕還沒有出生，我就已經存在了[d]。」 59 於是，他們就拿起石頭要打祂，耶穌卻避開他們，離開了聖殿。
John 8
New King James Version
Jesus the Light of the World
8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now [a]early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and (A)taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, [b]this woman was caught in (B)adultery, in the very act. 5 (C)Now [c]Moses, in the law, commanded us [d]that such should be stoned. But what do You [e]say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they (D)might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, [f]as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He [g]raised Himself up and said to them, (E)“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, (F)being[h] convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [i]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [j]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, (G)“Neither do I condemn you; go [k]and (H)sin no more.”
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, (I)“I am the light of the world. He who (J)follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus Defends His Self-Witness
13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, (K)“You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not [l]true.”
14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but (L)you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 (M)You judge according to the flesh; (N)I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for (O)I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 (P)It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and (Q)the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, (R)“You know neither Me nor My Father. (S)If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
20 These words Jesus spoke in (T)the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and (U)no one laid hands on Him, for (V)His hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and (W)you will seek Me, and (X)will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, (Y)“You are from beneath; I am from above. (Z)You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 (AA)Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; (AB)for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I (AC)have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but (AD)He who sent Me is true; and (AE)I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you (AF)lift[m] up the Son of Man, (AG)then you will know that I am He, and (AH)that I do nothing of Myself; but (AI)as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And (AJ)He who sent Me is with Me. (AK)The Father has not left Me alone, (AL)for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, (AM)many believed in Him.
The Truth Shall Make You Free
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you (AN)abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the (AO)truth, and (AP)the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, (AQ)“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (AR)whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And (AS)a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 (AT)Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but (AU)you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 (AV)I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have [n]seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, (AW)“Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, (AX)“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 (AY)But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth (AZ)which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; (BA)we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, (BB)“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for (BC)I proceeded forth and came from God; (BD)nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 (BE)Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 (BF)You are of your father the devil, and the (BG)desires of your father you want to (BH)do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and (BI)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 (BJ)He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and (BK)have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and (BL)you dishonor Me. 50 And (BM)I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, (BN)if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (BO)have a demon! (BP)Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. (BQ)Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, (BR)“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. (BS)It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is [o]your God. 55 Yet (BT)you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and (BU)keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham (BV)rejoiced to see My day, (BW)and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (BX)before Abraham was, (BY)I AM.”
59 Then (BZ)they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, (CA)going[p] through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Footnotes
- John 8:2 M very early
- John 8:4 M we found this woman
- John 8:5 M in our law Moses commanded
- John 8:5 NU, M to stone such
- John 8:5 M adds about her
- John 8:6 NU, M omit as though He did not hear
- John 8:7 M He looked up
- John 8:9 NU, M omit being convicted by their conscience
- John 8:10 NU omits and saw no one but the woman; M He saw her and said,
- John 8:10 NU, M omit of yours
- John 8:11 NU, M add from now on
- John 8:13 valid as testimony
- John 8:28 Crucify
- John 8:38 NU heard from
- John 8:54 NU, M our
- John 8:59 NU omits the rest of v. 59.
John 8
Easy-to-Read Version
8 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he went back to the Temple area. The people all came to him, and he sat and taught them.
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in bed with a man who was not her husband. They forced her to stand in front of the people. 4 They said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The Law of Moses commands us to stone to death any such woman. What do you say we should do?”
6 They were saying this to trick Jesus. They wanted to catch him saying something wrong so that they could have a charge against him. But Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 The Jewish leaders continued to ask him their question. So he stood up and said, “Anyone here who has never sinned should throw the first stone at her.” 8 Then Jesus stooped down again and wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard this, they began to leave one by one. The older men left first, and then the others. Jesus was left alone with the woman standing there in front of him. 10 He looked up again and said to her, “Where did they all go? Did no one judge you guilty?”
11 She answered, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “I don’t judge you either. You can go now, but don’t sin again.”[a]
Jesus Is the Light of the World
12 Later, Jesus talked to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never live in darkness. They will have the light that gives life.”
13 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “When you talk about yourself, you are the only one to say that these things are true. So we cannot accept what you say.”
14 Jesus answered, “Yes, I am saying these things about myself. But people can believe what I say, because I know where I came from. And I know where I am going. But you don’t know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge me the way people judge other people. I don’t judge anyone. 16 But if I judge, my judging is true, because when I judge I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that when two witnesses say the same thing, you must accept what they say. 18 I am one of the witnesses who speaks about myself. And the Father who sent me is my other witness.”
19 The people asked, “Where is your father?”
Jesus answered, “You don’t know me or my Father. But if you knew me, you would know my Father too.” 20 Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the Temple area, near the room where the Temple offerings were kept. But no one arrested him, because the right time for him had not yet come.
Some Jews Don’t Understand Jesus
21 Again, Jesus said to the people, “I will leave you. You will look for me, but you will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”
22 So the Jewish leaders asked themselves, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he said, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”
23 But Jesus said to them, “You people are from here below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don’t belong to this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins. Yes, if you don’t believe that I Am,[b] you will die in your sins.”
25 They asked, “Then who are you?”
Jesus answered, “I am what I have told you from the beginning. 26 I have much more I could say to judge you. But I tell people only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he speaks the truth.”
27 They did not understand who he was talking about. He was telling them about the Father. 28 So he said to them, “You will lift up[c] the Son of Man. Then you will know that I Am. You will know that whatever I do is not by my own authority. You will know that I say only what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him. So he has not left me alone.” 30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.
Jesus Talks About Freedom From Sin
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
33 They answered, “We are Abraham’s descendants. And we have never been slaves. So why do you say that we will be free?”
34 Jesus said, “The truth is, everyone who sins is a slave—a slave to sin. 35 A slave does not stay with a family forever. But a son belongs to the family forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you are really free. 37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants. But you want to kill me, because you don’t want to accept my teaching. 38 I am telling you what my Father has shown me. But you do what your father has told you.”
39 They said, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said, “If you were really Abraham’s descendants, you would do what Abraham did. 40 I am someone who has told you the truth I heard from God. But you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like that. 41 So you are doing what your own father did.”
But they said, “We are not like children who never knew who their father was. God is our Father. He is the only Father we have.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were really your Father, you would love me. I came from God, and now I am here. I did not come by my own authority. God sent me. 43 You don’t understand the things I say, because you cannot accept my teaching. 44 Your father is the devil. You belong to him. You want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was always against the truth. There is no truth in him. He is like the lies he tells. Yes, the devil is a liar. He is the father of lies.
45 “I am telling you the truth, and that’s why you don’t believe me. 46 Can any of you prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God accepts what he says. But you don’t accept what God says, because you don’t belong to God.”
Jesus Talks About Himself and Abraham
48 The Jews there answered, “We say you are a Samaritan. We say a demon is making you crazy! Are we not right when we say this?”
49 Jesus answered, “I have no demon in me. I give honor to my Father, but you give no honor to me. 50 I am not trying to get honor for myself. There is one who wants this honor for me. He is the judge. 51 I promise you, whoever continues to obey my teaching will never die.”
52 The Jews said to Jesus, “Now we know that you have a demon in you! Even Abraham and the prophets died. But you say, ‘Whoever obeys my teaching will never die.’ 53 Do you think you are greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I give honor to myself, that honor is worth nothing. The one who gives me honor is my Father. And you say that he is your God. 55 But you don’t really know him. I know him. If I said I did not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey what he says. 56 Your father Abraham was very happy that he would see the day when I came. He saw that day and was happy.”
57 The Jews said to Jesus, “What? How can you say you have seen Abraham? You are not even 50 years old!”
58 Jesus answered, “The fact is, before Abraham was born, I Am.” 59 When he said this, they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid, and then he left the Temple area.
Footnotes
- John 8:11 The oldest and best Greek copies do not have verses 7:53–8:11. Other copies have this section in different places.
- John 8:24 I Am This is like the name of God used in the Old Testament. See Isa. 41:4; 43:10; Ex. 3:14. However, it can also mean “I am he,” meaning “I am the Messiah.” Also in verses 28, 58.
- John 8:28 lift up Meaning to be nailed to a cross and “lifted up” on it to die. It may also have a second meaning: to be “lifted up” from death to heaven.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International