John 8

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

1Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, a hill near the city.

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 in the morning he came back to the temple, God's house. All the people came to him. 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,

3Some scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to him. Scribes copied and studied God's law. Pharisees were teachers who cared very much about the rules. The woman had been caught with a man who was not her husband. They made her stand in front of everyone.

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

4They said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught doing it. People saw her."

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

5"Moses gave us God's law long ago. It says a woman like this must be killed with stones. 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. They wanted a reason to say he had done wrong. But Jesus bent down. He began writing on the ground with his finger.

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 on asking him. So he stood up straight and said this to them. "Whoever here has never sinned may throw the first stone at her."

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

8Then he bent down again and wrote 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.

9They heard him, and inside they knew they had done wrong too. They walked away one at a time. The oldest ones left first, then the rest. Jesus was left alone with the woman 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 straight and saw only the woman. He said, "Woman, where are the people who blamed you? Did no one say you must be punished?"

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

11She said, "No one, Lord." Jesus said, "Then I do not say it either. Go now, and do not sin any more."

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 the people again. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the dark. That person will have the light that gives 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 talking about yourself. That means your words do not count."

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 them. "Even if I talk about myself, what I say is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know either one."

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

15"You judge by what you 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"But if I do judge, my judging is right. I am not 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 this. When two people say the same thing, it counts as true."

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

18"I speak about myself. And the Father who sent me speaks about me too."

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 said, "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.

20Jesus said all this in the temple, near the treasury, while he taught. No one grabbed him. It was not yet his time.

NoteThe treasury was the part of the temple where people put their money gifts.

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, but you will die still in your sin. 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 asked each other, "Is he going to kill himself? He says we cannot come where he goes."

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

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 will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."

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 said, "I am just what I have been telling you all along."

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 to say about you, and much to judge. But the One who sent me tells the truth. I tell the world what I heard from him."

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

27They did not understand that he was telling 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, "One day you will lift up the Son of Man. That is a name I use for myself. Then you will know that I am he. You will know 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. My Father has not left me alone. I always do what makes him glad."

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

30While Jesus was saying these things, 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;

31Then Jesus spoke to the people who believed him. "If you keep on living by my words, you are truly 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 him, "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 sins is a slave of sin."

NoteThe King James Bible says "servant" here, but the word means a slave, someone owned by another person.

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 to the family always."

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

36"So if the Son sets you free, then you are really 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 come from Abraham's family. But you want to kill me. My words find no room inside you."

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. You do what you have heard 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 said, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what 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 want to kill me. I am a man who told you the truth I 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 to him, "We were not born to parents who were not married. We have one Father, and that is God."

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 don't you understand what I say? It is because you are not able to hear 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 killed people 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. He is a liar, and every lie starts with him."

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

45"I tell you the truth, and that is why 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 of you show that I have sinned? If I tell the truth, why don't you believe me?"

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, "We are right, aren't we? You are a Samaritan, from the land of Samaria, and a bad spirit is in you."

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

49Jesus answered, "No bad spirit is in me. I show honor to my Father, and you show me none."

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

50"I am not trying to make myself look great. There is One who wants that for me. 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 my words 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 know a bad spirit is in you! Abraham died, and so did the prophets, the people who told others what God said. Yet you say whoever holds on to your words will never taste 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. The prophets died too. 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 make myself look great, that means nothing. My Father is the one who honors me. You say that 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 do not know him. I know him. If I said I did not know him, I would be a liar like you. I do know him, and I do what he says."

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

56"Your father Abraham was happy that he would see my day. He saw it, and he was glad."

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

57So they 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."

Note"Before Abraham was, I am" mixes past and present on purpose. It reads that same odd way in the language John wrote in.

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.

59Then they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them. He walked out of the temple and went away.