John 8:2-20

New International Version

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(A) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(B) Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(C) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(D)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(E) at her.”^{(F) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”^(G) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”^(H)

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(I) the light of the world.^(J) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(K)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(L)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(M) But you have no idea where I come from^(N) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(O) I pass judgment on no one.^{(P) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(Q) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(R) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(S)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(T) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(U) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(V) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(W) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(X)