And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and (A)He sat down and began teaching them. Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the Law, (B)Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” Now they were saying this to (C)test Him, (D)so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. When they persisted in asking Him, (E)He straightened up and said to them, (F)He who is without sin among you, let him be the (G)first to throw a stone at her.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10 And (H)straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, [a]Lord.” And Jesus said, (I)I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not (J)sin any longer.”]]

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:11 Or Sir

At daybreak he appeared again in the Temple, and all the people came to him. So he sat down and began to teach them. But the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery.[a] After setting her before them,[b] they told him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women to death. What do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have a charge against him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.

When they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and told them, “Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground.[c] When they heard this, they went away one by one,[d] beginning with the oldest,[e] and he was left alone with the woman standing there.[f] 10 Then Jesus stood up and asked her, “Dear lady,[g] where are your accusers?[h] Hasn’t anyone condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,”[i] she replied.

Then Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you, either. Go home, and from now on don’t sin anymore.”[j]

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:3 Other mss. read in sin
  2. John 8:3 Lit. in the middle
  3. John 8:8 Other mss read ground the sins of each one of them
  4. John 8:9 Other mss. read one by one, being convicted by their conscience
  5. John 8:9 Other mss. read from the oldest to the youngest
  6. John 8:9 Lit. in the middle
  7. John 8:10 Or Woman
  8. John 8:10 Other mss. read where are they?
  9. John 8:11 Or Lord
  10. John 8:11 Some mss. lack 7:53-8:11; one ms. locates the text after Luke 21:38; some mss. locate it after John 7:36, some after John 7:52, and some after John 21:25.