John 8
Worldwide English (New Testament)
8 Then Jesus went to the hill called the Mount of Olives.
2 Early the next morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus. They had caught her having sex with a man who was not her husband. They made the woman stand in front of them.
4 They said, `Teacher, this woman has committed adultery. She was caught doing it.
5 The law of Moses tells us that the people who do that should be killed with stones. What do you say?'
6 They said this to see what Jesus would do, because they wanted to find something wrong with him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
7 They kept on asking him. He stood up and said to them, `The one among you who has never done any wrong thing may throw the first stone at her.'
8 And Jesus bent down again and wrote on the ground.
9 When the people heard what he said, they went out, one by one. The oldest one went out first. Jesus was left alone with the woman in front of him.
10 Jesus looked up and said to her, `Woman, where are the people? Has no one judged you?'
11 She said, `No one, Sir.' Jesus said, `I also do not judge you. Go, and do no wrong thing again.'
12 Then Jesus talked to the people in the temple. He said, `I am the Light of the world. The one who comes with me will never walk in the dark, but he will have light that gives life.'
13 The Pharisees said, `You are talking about yourself. What you say is not true.'
14 Jesus said to them, `Even if I do talk about myself, what I say is true. I know where I come from and I know where I am going. But you do not know where I came from, or where I am going.
15 You judge in the way people judge matters. I do not judge any person.
16 But even if I do judge, I judge right. I am not alone. My Father who sent me is with me.
17 Even in your law it says that when two people say the same thing, it is true.
18 I talk about myself, and my Father who sent me talks about me.'
19 They asked him, `Where is your Father?' He said, `You do not know me and you do not know my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.'
20 When Jesus said these words he was teaching in the temple. He was in the place where the money is kept. No one caught him because it was not yet his time.
21 Jesus talked to them again. He said, `I am going away. You will try to find me and will die doing wrong things. You cannot come where I am going.'
22 Then the Jews said, `Will he kill himself? He says, "You cannot come where I am going." '
23 Jesus said to them, `You are from below. I am from above. You belong to this world. I do not belong to this world.
24 That is why I said, "You will die doing wrong things." If you do not believe that I am who I said I am, then you will die doing wrong things.'
25 They said to him, `Who are you?' Jesus answered, `I am what I told you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say to you and to judge you in many things. But he who sent me is true. I tell the world what he has told me.'
27 The people did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about his Father.
28 So Jesus said, `When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he. You will know that I do nothing by my own power, but I talk the way my Father taught me.
29 He who sent me is with me always. I always do what he wants me to do.'
30 Many people believed in Jesus while he was talking this way.
31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, `If you obey my word, you are truly my disciples.
32 And you will understand the truth and the truth will make you free.'
33 They said to him, `We are Abraham's children. We have always been free. Why do you say to us, "You will be free"?'
34 Jesus answered them, `I tell you the truth. People who do wrong things are not free. They become a slave of the wrong things they do.
35 A slave does not belong to the family for ever. But a son belongs for ever.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be truly free.
37 I know that you come from Abraham. But you want to kill me because you do not like what I tell you.
38 I tell you about the things that I have seen where my Father is, and you do what you have seen your father do.'
39 They answered him, `Abraham is our father.' Jesus said, `If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did.
40 But you want to kill me because I told you the truth which I learned from God. Abraham did not do that.
41 You are doing your father's work.' Then they said to him, `We were not born of an unmarried woman. God is the Father of us all.'
42 Jesus said to them, `If God were your Father you would love me, because I have come from God. I did not come by my own power. God sent me.
43 Why do you not understand what I say? I will tell you why. It is because you do not want to understand it.
44 `The bad spirit, the devil, is your real father. You gladly do the wrong things he wants you to do. From the beginning he killed people. He has nothing to do with what is true. His way is to tell lies. He himself is a liar and all lying comes from him.
45 You do not believe me because I tell you what is true.
46 Which one of you can prove that what I have done is bad? I tell you what is true. Why then do you not believe me?
47 The person who comes from God listens to what God says. You do not come from God. That is why you do not listen to me.'
48 The leaders of the Jews answered him, `We say what is true. We say that you come from Samaria. And we say that a bad spirit is in you.'
49 Jesus said, `I have no bad spirit in me. I respect my Father but you do not respect me.
50 I do not want to make myself great. There is one who makes me great. He judges the matter.
51 I tell you the truth. If anyone obeys my word, he will never die.'
52 The leaders of the Jews said to him, `Now we know it is true that a bad spirit is in you. Abraham died. So did the prophets. And yet you say, "If anyone obeys my word, he will never die."
53 Are you greater than our father Abraham and the prophets of God who died long ago? Who do you make yourself out to be?'
54 Jesus answered, `If I make myself great, then I am not great. But my Father makes me great. You say he is your God.
55 But you do not know God. I know him. If I say, "I do not know him," I am a liar, just as you people are. But I know him and I obey his word.
56 Your father Abraham was glad that he would see my coming. He did see it and he was very glad.'
57 The Jewish leaders said to him, `You are not fifty years old yet. How could Abraham see you?'
58 Jesus answered, `I tell you the truth. I already was before Abraham was born.'
59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus got out of their way. He left the temple and they did not know where he went.
John 8
Modern English Version
8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He returned to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. When they had put her in the middle, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such, but what do You say?” 6 They said this, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear them. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Being convicted by their conscience, those who heard it went out one by one, beginning with the eldest even to the last. Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
Jesus the Light of the World
12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself. Your testimony is not true.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Though I bear witness of Myself, My testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16 Yet if I do judge, My judgment is true. For I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father that sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as He taught in the temple. No one arrested Him, for His hour had not yet come.
Where I Am Going You Cannot Come
21 Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself? For He said, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ”
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 They said to Him, “Who are You?”
Jesus said to them, “Just who I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true. So I tell the world what I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as My Father taught Me. 29 He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. 32 You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never been in bondage to anyone. Why do You say, ‘You shall be set free’? ”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now a slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever. 36 Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed. But you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I am telling what I have seen with My Father, and you are doing what you have seen with your father.”
Your Father the Devil
39 They answered Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father: God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and proceeded into the world. I did not come of My own authority, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speaking? Because you cannot bear to hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words. Therefore, you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
The Preexistence of Jesus
48 The Jews answered Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. But I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek glory for Myself. There is One who seeks it and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, and You say, ‘If a man keeps My word, he shall never taste death.’ 53 “Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets are dead! Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. If I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day. He saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old. Have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. Going through their midst, He passed by.
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.