Book of Common Prayer

⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience which is in Jesus Christ, was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God, and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on a Sunday, and heard behind me a great voice, as if of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. That which you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven congregations that are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

¹² And I turned back to see the voice that spoke to me. And when I was turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, ¹³ and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a linen garment down to the ground, and girt about the breast with a golden girdle. ¹⁴ His head and his hair were white like white wool, and like snow. And his eyes were as a flame of fire, ¹⁵ and his feet like brass, as though glowing in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ And he had in his right hand seven stars. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his face shone, even as the sun in its strength.

¹⁷ And when I saw him, I fell at his feet, even as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying to me, Fear not. I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and am alive; and was dead, but behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of hell and of death. ¹⁹ Write therefore the things that you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will be fulfilled hereafter, ²⁰ and the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the messengers of the seven congregations, and the seven candlesticks that you saw are the seven congregations.

⁵³ And every man went to his own house.

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.