John 8–9

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them.

3The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them

4and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”

6They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.

7When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”

8And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.

9When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.

10Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”

11“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”

14Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

16But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me.

17Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

18I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”

19“Where is Your Father?” they asked Him. “You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”

20He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

21Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

22So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

23Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25“Who are You?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.

26“I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”

27They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father.

28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me.

29He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”

30As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.

31So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

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

33“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

34Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever.

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

37I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.

38I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

39“Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.

40But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.

41You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.

44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!

46Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?

47Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

48The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

49“I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

50I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge.

51Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

52“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death.

53Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

55You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.

56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.

1Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth,

2and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.

4While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes.

7Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.

8At this, his neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”

9Some claimed that he was, but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” But the man kept saying, “I am the one.”

10“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11He answered, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and anointed my eyes, and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and received my sight.”

12“Where is He?” they asked. “I do not know,” he answered.

13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.

14Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.

15So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. The man answered, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”

16Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was division among them.

17So once again they asked the man who had been blind, “What do you say about Him, since it was your eyes He opened?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.

18The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned his parents

19and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?”

20His parents answered, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind.

21But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.”

22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

23That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”

25He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”

26“What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”

27He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses.

29We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”

30“That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.

31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.

32Never before has anyone heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.

33If this man were not from God, He could do no such thing.”

34They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.

35When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36“Who is He, Sir?” he replied. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

37“You have already seen Him,” Jesus answered. “He is the One speaking with you.”

38“Lord, I believe,” he said. And he worshiped Jesus.

39Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

40Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”

41“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”