John 8
New Matthew Bible
A woman is caught in adultery. Christ delivers her. The freedom of those who follow Christ. They accuse him of having the devil with him, and go about to stone him.
8 And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, 2 and early in the morning came again into the temple. And all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery, and set her in the midst, 4 and said to him, Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, even in the act. 5 Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. What therefore do you say?
6 And they said this to bait him, to have something to accuse him of.
Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. 7 And while they continued asking him, he lifted himself up and said to them, Let him who is without sin among you, cast the first stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 And as soon as they heard that, they went out one by one, the eldest first. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the centre. 10 When Jesus lifted up himself again and saw no one but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are they, your accusers? Has no one condemned you? 11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees said to him, You bear witness of yourself; your witness is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said to them, Though I bear witness of myself, yet my witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge after the flesh. I judge no one; 16 and yet if I do judge, my judgment is true. For I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. 17 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 the Father who sent me bears witness of me.
19 Then they said to him, Where is your father?
Jesus answered, You know neither me, nor yet my Father. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.
20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. And no man laid hands on him, for his time was not yet come.
21 Then Jesus said again to them, I go my way; and you will seek me, and will die in your sins. Where I go, there you cannot come.
22 Then the Jews said, Will he kill himself? For he says, Where I go, there you cannot come.
23 And he said to them, You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you 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, Even the very same thing that I say to you. 26 I have many things to say, and to judge of you. Yea, and he who sent me is true. And I speak in the world those things that I have heard from him.
27 However, they did not understand that he was speaking of his Father. 28 Then Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up on high the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father has taught me, even so I speak. 29 And he who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.
30 As he spoke these words, many believed on him. 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my words, then you are my very disciples and shall know the truth, 32 and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We are Abraham’s seed, and were never bond to any man. Why do you say then, You shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Truly truly I say to you that whoever commits sin, is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant does not abide in the house forever. But the Son abides forever. 36 If the Son therefore makes you free, then you are free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed. But you seek means to kill me, because my sayings have no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father, and you do that which you have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father.
Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But now you are going about to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I have heard from God. This Abraham did not do. 41 You do the deeds of your father.
Then they said to him, We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, who is God.
42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, then you would love me. For I proceeded forth and come from God. Neither did I come of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not know my speech? Even because you cannot abide the hearing of my words. 44 You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to follow the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own nature. For he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 And because I tell you the truth, therefore you do not believe me. 46 Which of you can rebuke me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words. You therefore do not hear them, because you are not of God.
48 Then the Jews answered and said to him, Are we not right to say that you are a Samaritan and have a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have no devil. But I honour my Father, and you have dishonoured me. 50 I do not seek my own glory, but there is one who seeks and judges. 51 Truly truly I say to you, if a person keeps my sayings, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews to him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and also the prophets, and yet you say, If anyone keeps my sayings, he will never taste of death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do you make yourself out to be?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is of no value. It is my Father who honours me, whom you say is your God, 55 and yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I said I did not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham was glad to see my day, and he saw it and rejoiced.
57 Then the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said to them, Truly truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Yochanan 8
Orthodox Jewish Bible
8 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went to the Har HaZeytim (Mount of Olives).
2 And at the beginning of Shacharis, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came again into the Beis Hamikdash and kol haAm (all the people) were coming to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and having sat, for them he was saying a shiur.
3 And the Sofrim and the Perushim led an isha (woman) having been caught in ni’uf (adultery) and, having stood her in the midst [VAYIKRA 20:10],
4 They say to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Rabbi, this isha (woman) has been caught in the act of committing ni’uf (adultery).
5 Now in our Torah Moshe Rabbeinu gave us a mitzvah to stone such nashim. You, therefore, what do you say? [Lv 20:10; Dt 22:22-24; Job 31:11]
6 But this they were saying to put a nissayon before Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach that they might have something about which to accuse him, but he, having stooped down with his finger, was writing on the ground.
7 But as they were remaining, questioning him, he stood up and said to them, The one without chet (sin) among you, at her let him be first to throw a stone. [Dt 17:7; Ezek 16:40]
8 And again, having stooped down, he was writing on the ground.
9 And the ones having heard were departing, one by one, beginning with the zekenim, and he was left alone with the isha standing before him.
10 And having stood up, he said to her, Isha, where are they? Does no one condemn you?
11 And she said, No one, Adoni. And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Neither do I condemn you. Go and practice chet no more.
12 Then again he spoke to them, saying, Ani Hu HaOhr HaOlam Hazeh. The one following me will never walk in choshech, but will have the Ohr HaChayyim. [Isa 9:1; 42:8; 49:6, 60:1,3 Prov 4:18]
13 Therefore, the Perushim said to him, You give solemn edut (testimony) about yourself. But your edut is not ne’emanah.
14 In reply, he said to them, Even if I give solemn edut about myself, my edut is ne’emanah, because I have da’as of where I came from and where I go, but you have no da’as of where I come from or where I go.
15 You judge according to the basar; I do not judge anyone. [1Sm 16:7]
16 But even if I judge, my psak din, my mishpat, is emes, because it is not I alone but the One having sent me, HaAv.
17 And it has been written even in your Torah, that the edut (testimony) of two is ne’emanah. [Dt 17:6; 19:15]
18 Ani Hu the one giving solemn edut (testimony) about myself and the One having sent me, HaAv, gives solemn edut about me.
19 Therefore, they were saying to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Where is HaAv of you? In reply, he said, You have da’as of neither me nor HaAv of me. If you had had da’as of me, you would have had da’as of HaAv of me.
20 These dvarim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach spoke in the Beis HaOtzar while saying shiurim in the Beis Hamikdash, and no one arrested him, because his sha’ah had not yet come.
21 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, therefore, again to them, I go away and you will seek me, and in your chet you will go to your mavet. Where I go you are not able to come. [Dt 24:16; Ezek 3:18]
22 Therefore, those of Yehudah were saying, Does he mean he will commit suicide, because he says, Where I go you are not able to come?
23 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to them, You are from mattah (below); Ani Hu from ma’lah (above). You are of the Olam Hazeh; I am not of the Olam Hazeh.
24 I said, therefore, to you that you will go to your mavet in your averos (sins), for if you do not have emunah (faith) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH 41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], you will die in your chatta’im.
25 They were saying, therefore, to him, Who are you? Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Why should I even speak to you at all?
26 I have much to speak regarding you, much about you worthy of harsha’ah (condemnation), but the One having sent me is ne’eman and what I heard from Him these things I speak in the Olam Hazeh.
27 They did not have da’as that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was speaking to them about Elohim HaAv.
28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of the Ben HaAdam, you will have da’as that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH 41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv of me taught me, these things I speak.
29 And the One having sent me is with me [MISHLE 8:30]. He did not leave me alone, because I always do the things that please Him. [Prov 8:30; Isa 50:5; 43:10 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
30 As Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying these things, many put their emunah in him.
31 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to the Yehudim who had emunah in him, If you remain in the dvar of me [Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach], then you are my talmidim indeed.
32 And you will have da’as of HaEmes (the Truth) and HaEmes will give you cherut (freedom). [VAYIKRA 25:10; YESHAYAH 61:1-3; 53:4-12]
33 They answered Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, We are of the zera Avraham and to no one have we ever been enslaved. How do you say, You will become Bnei Chorin (freedmen)? [Neh 9:36]
34 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Omein, omein, I say to you that everyone practicing Chet is an eved HaChet. [BERESHIS 4:7]
35 But the eved does not remain in the Bais ad Olam. HaBen remains ad Olam. [BERESHIS 21:10; SHEMOT 21:2; DEVARIM 15:12]
36 If therefore HaBen makes you Bnei Chorin, you shall be Bnei Chorin indeed.
37 I have da’as that you are zera Avraham, but you seek to kill me, because my dvar has no place in you [Jer 31:31-34].
38 What I have seen in the presence of HaAv of me, of that, I make solemn declaration. Therefore, the things you have heard from your father you do.
39 They answered and said unto him, Avinu hu Avraham. Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, If you were yeladim of Avraham, you would have been doing the ma’asei Avraham.
40 But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has told you HaEmes, which I heard from Hashem; this was not a ma’aseh that Avraham did. [TEHILLIM 15:2]
41 You are doing the ma’asim of your Av. They said, therefore, to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, We are not mamzerim who have been born of zenunim (fornication). We have Av Echad, Hashem. [Gn 38:24; Isa 63:16; 64:8; Mal 2:10; Dt 32:6].
42 He said to them, If Hashem were the Av of you, you would have had ahavah for me, for I came forth from Hashem, and now I am present here, for I have not come on my own, but HaAv sent me [Isa 55:11].
43 Why do you not understand my dvarim? Because you are not able to give obedient shemah (hearing) to my dvar.
44 You are from the Av of you, Hasatan [BERESHIS 3:4-5; TEHILLIM 58:4(3)], and the ta’avot of your Av you want to do, for that one was a rotze’ach from Bereshis, and he has not taken a stand in HaEmes, because HaEmes is not in him. When he speaks the sheker, he speaks naturally, because he is a shakran (liar) and the av of it. [Gn 3:4 2Ch 18:21; Ps 5:6; 12:2]
45 But because I speak HaEmes, you do not have bitachon (trust) in me.
46 Who among you convicts me of chet (sin)? If I speak HaEmes, why do you not have emunah in me?
47 The one who is of Hashem hears the divrei Hashem. Therefore, you do not hear because you are not of Hashem.
48 In reply, those of Yehudah said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Did we not rightly say that you are a Shomroni (Samaritan) and that you have a shed (demon)?
49 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, I do not have a shed (demon). But I honor HaAv of me and you dishonor me.
50 But I do not seek my own kavod; there is One seeking and judging.
51 Omein, omein, I say to you, regarding the dvar of me, if anyone is shomer, he will never see mavet.
52 Therefore, those of Yehudah said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Now we have da’as that you have a shed, Avraham died and the Nevi’im; yet you say if anyone keeps the dvar of me he will never taste mavet (death). [Hisgalus 21:8]
53 Surely you are not greater than Avraham Avinu, who died? And the Nevi’im died. Whom do you make yourself to be? [Zech 1:5]
54 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, If I give myself kavod, the kavod of me is nothing. It is HaAv of me Who is giving me kavod, Whom you say, He is Eloheinu. [YESHAYAH 63:16]
55 And you have not had da’as of Him. But I have had da’as of Him. If I would say that I do not have da’as of Him, I will be like you, a shakran (liar); but I do have da’as of Him, and I keep His dvar.
56 Avraham your Av had lev same’ach to see the Yom of me [the Yom HaMoshiach], and he saw it and had simcha. [BERESHIS 18:18]
57 Therefore those of Yehudah said to him, You do not yet possess fifty years and yet you have seen Avraham Avinu?
58 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Omein, omein, I say to you, before Avraham came into being, Ani Hu. [SHEMOT 3:4; 6:3; YESHAYAH 41:4; 43:10,13]
59 Then they took up stones that they might stone him, but Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was hidden and departed out of the Beis Hamikdash. [Ex 17:4; Lv 24:16; 1Sm 30:6]
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
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