John

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

1Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

ManuscriptsThis account of the woman caught in adultery is missing from the earliest manuscripts, and some later ones place it elsewhere in the Gospels. Most modern Bibles keep it and mark it.

2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

2Early the next morning he came back to the temple. All the people gathered around him, so he sat down and taught them.

3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

3The scribes and Pharisees brought him a woman who had been caught cheating on her husband. They stood her in front of everyone.

4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

4They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery."

5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

5"In the Law, Moses ordered us to stone a woman like this. What do you say?"

6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

6They said this to trap him, so they would have something to accuse him of. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger.

Note"Tempting him" here does not mean tempting him to do wrong. It means testing him, trying to get him to say something they could use against him.

7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

7They kept pressing him for an answer. So he stood up and said, "Whoever among you has never sinned, throw the first stone at her."

8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

8Then he bent down again and went on writing on the ground.

9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

9When they heard that, their own consciences accused them. They left one at a time, the oldest first, until Jesus was alone with the woman still standing there.

10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

10Jesus stood up and saw only the woman. He said, "Woman, where did they go? Has no one condemned you?"

11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

11"No one, Lord," she said. Jesus said, "Then I do not condemn you either. Go, and do not sin anymore."

12Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

12Jesus spoke to them again. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in the dark but will have the light of life."

13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

13So the Pharisees said to him, "You are speaking about yourself. Testimony like that does not count."

Note"Bearest record" is old English for giving testimony, the way a witness does in court. Their point is that a person's word about himself proves nothing.

14Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

14Jesus answered, "Even if I speak about myself, what I say is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not."

15Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

15"You judge by what you can see on the outside. I am not judging anyone."

16And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

16"And even if I do judge, my judgment is right. I am not doing it alone. The Father who sent me is with me."

17It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

17"Your own Law says that when two witnesses agree, their testimony counts."

18I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

18"I am one witness who speaks about myself, and the Father who sent me is the other witness."

19Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

19They asked him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You do not know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father too."

20These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

20He said all this near the temple treasury, where the offering boxes were, while he taught. No one arrested him, because his time had not come yet.

21Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

21Jesus said to them again, "I am going away. You will look for me, and you will die with your sin still on you. You cannot come where I am going."

22Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

22So the people said, "Is he going to kill himself? Is that why he says we cannot come where he is going?"

23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

23He told them, "You are from below. I am from above. You belong to this world. I do not."

24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

24"That is why I said you would die with your sins. If you do not believe that I am who I say, you will die that way."

25Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

25So they asked him, "Who are you?" Jesus answered, "Exactly what I have been telling you from the start."

26I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

26"I have much I could say about you, and much I could judge. But the one who sent me tells the truth, and I tell the world what I heard from him."

27They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

27They did not realize he was talking to them about the Father.

28Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am who I say. I do nothing on my own. I say what my Father taught me."

29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

29"The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him."

30As he spake these words, many believed on him.

30While he was saying this, many people believed in him.

31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

31So Jesus said to the people who had believed him, "If you keep living by what I say, you really are my followers."

32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

32"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

33They answered, "We are Abraham's family. We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?"

34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

34Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth: everyone who keeps on sinning is a slave of sin."

NoteThe KJV word "servant" here means a slave, someone owned by another. That is why the next verse contrasts a slave with a son of the family.

35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

35"A slave does not stay in the family forever, but a son belongs there always."

36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

36"So if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free."

37I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

37"I know you are Abraham's family. But you are trying to kill me, because there is no room in you for what I say."

38I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

38"I tell you what I have seen with my Father. And you do what you have learned from your father."

39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

39They answered, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the things Abraham did."

40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

40"But you are trying to kill me, a man who told you the truth he heard from God. Abraham never did anything like that."

41Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

41"You are doing what your father does." They said, "We are not illegitimate children. God himself is our only Father."

42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

42Jesus said, "If God were your Father, you would love me. I came here from God. I did not come on my own; he sent me."

43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

43"Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you are not willing to really listen to my words."

44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

44"Your father is the devil, and you want to do what he wants. He was a killer from the very beginning. He never held on to the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he is only speaking his own language, because he is a liar and the father of lies."

45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

45"And because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me."

46Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

46"Can any one of you prove I have sinned? So if I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me?"

Note"Convinceth me of sin" does not mean convincing Jesus of anything. It means proving him guilty of a sin.

47He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

47"Anyone who belongs to God listens to God's words. You do not listen, because you do not belong to God."

48Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

48The people answered him, "Are we not right to say you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?"

49Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

49Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon. I honor my Father, and you insult me."

50And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

50"I am not looking for honor for myself. There is someone who does look out for that, and he is the judge."

51Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

51"I tell you the truth: whoever holds on to what I say will never see death."

52Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

52The people said, "Now we are sure you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets. Yet you say your words keep a person from ever tasting death."

53Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

53"Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

54Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

54Jesus answered, "If I honor myself, my honor means nothing. My Father is the one who honors me, and you say he is your God."

55Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

55"But you have never known him. I know him. If I said I did not know him, I would be a liar like you. I know him and I obey his word."

56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

56"Your father Abraham was full of joy that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."

57Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

57The people said to him, "You are not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?"

58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

58Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth: before Abraham was born, I am."

59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

59At that, they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself and walked out of the temple, right through the middle of them.