1 ARST Jesus went to the Mount of Olives{ and stayed near there that night}. BSB BSB: But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 ARST At dawn the next morning, Jesus returned to the temple{ courtyard} and many people came to him. BSB BSB: Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them.
3 ARST Some of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman to him. They had apprehended her while she was committing adultery. They made her stand up in the midst of this group. BSB BSB: The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them
4 ARST The priests wanted to test Jesus in order to be able to accuse him{ of breaking the law of Moses before the highest Jewish governing council}. So they said to him,“Teacher, we apprehended this woman while she was committing adultery, the very act itself! BSB BSB: and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 ARST Now Moses commanded us in the law that we must kill such women with stones. Nevertheless, what do you say we should do?” BSB BSB: In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”
6 ARST However, Jesus bent down and wrote something on the ground with his finger. BSB BSB: They 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.
7 ARST While they continued to question him, he got up and told them,“Let the one among you who has never sinned throw the first stone at her{ and lead the rest to kill her}!” BSB BSB: When 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.”
8 ARST Then Jesus stooped down again and wrote something on the ground with his finger. BSB BSB: And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.
9 ARST { After he did this,} those Jewish leaders{ who were questioning him} started walking away, one by one. The older ones left first and then the younger ones. Then only Jesus was there with the woman in the midst of the people. BSB BSB: When 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.
10 ARST Jesus stood up and asked her,“Where are the men{ who were accusing you}? Has no one condemned you{ to be punished}?” BSB BSB: Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”
11 ARST The woman replied,“There is no one, sir.” Then Jesus said,“I do not condemn you{ to be punished} either. Leave, and from now on do not sin like this anymore!”] BSB BSB: “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”
12 ARST Jesus spoke to the people again. He said,“I am the one who gives God’ s good and true light to the people in the world. Anyone who becomes my disciple will never walk in{ sinful} darkness{ again}. Rather, that person will have God’ s good and true light that gives eternal life.” BSB BSB: Once 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.”
13 ARST The Pharisees then told him,“You are the only witness for yourself!{ Since the law of Moses requires at least two witnesses,} what you say cannot be true!” BSB BSB: So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
14 ARST Jesus replied,“Even if I were the only witness for myself, what I say is still true because I know where I came from and{ I know} where I am going. Nevertheless, you do not know where I came from and{ you do not know} where I am going. BSB BSB: Jesus 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.
15 ARST You judge people according to human standards.{ However,} I have not come to judge anyone{ in that manner}. BSB BSB: You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
16 ARST Even when I do judge people, I will judge them according to the true standard, because I do not judge people on my own. Rather, I and my Father who sent me,{ will judge people together}. BSB BSB: But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me.
17 ARST Moses even wrote in your law that when at least two witnesses say the same thing, then what they say is true. BSB BSB: Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
18 ARST I am my own witness, but my Father who sent me is also a witness for me.{ Therefore, what I say is true}.” BSB BSB: I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”
19 ARST Because{ Jesus said his father was a witness for him,} the Pharisees asked him,“Where is your father?” Jesus replied,“You do not know me, and you do not know my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father,{ but you do not}.” BSB BSB: “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.”
20 ARST He said these things about himself while he was teaching in the temple{ courtyard}.{ He said them} at the place{ in the temple courtyard} where people brought money offerings. Nobody apprehended him, because it was not yet the right time for him to die. BSB BSB: He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
21 ARST Jesus then told the people again,“I am going away, and you will search for me, but since you sinfully reject me, you will die without God forgiving you. You will not be able to come to the place where I am going.” BSB BSB: Again 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.”
22 ARST The Jewish leaders then said{ among themselves},“Perhaps he plans to kill himself, and that is{ what he means} when he says that we will not be able to come to the place where he is going.” BSB BSB: So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
23 ARST Jesus told them,“You are from this earth below, but I am from heaven above. You belong to this sinful world. I do not belong to this world. BSB BSB: Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 ARST Because of this I told you that you will die without God forgiving you for all the sins that you have committed. This will certainly happen unless you trust that I am{ God, as I say I am}.” BSB BSB: That 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 ARST Because{ he said that}, they asked him,“Who are you?” Jesus replied,“That is what I have been telling you ever since the beginning! BSB BSB: “Who are You?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.
26 ARST I could say many things about you and judge you,{ but I won’ t do those things at this time}. Rather, I will tell the people in the world only what I have heard from the one who sent me. He always says the truth.” BSB BSB: “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.”
27 ARST (They did not understand that Jesus was telling them about his Father{ in heaven}.) BSB BSB: They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father.
28 ARST So Jesus told them,“When you have lifted me up to kill me, the Son of Man, you will know that I am{ God}, and{ you will know} that I do not do anything on my own authority. Rather, I only say what my Father has taught me to say. BSB BSB: So 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.
29 ARST My Father, who sent me, is always with me. He has never abandoned me, because I always do only the things that delight him.” BSB BSB: He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”
30 ARST While Jesus was saying these things, many more people believed that he was the Messiah. BSB BSB: As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.
31 ARST Jesus then told the Jews who now believed that he was the Messiah,“If you obey what I teach you, then you are my genuine disciples. BSB BSB: So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
32 ARST { Furthermore,} you will know God’ s truth, and{ believing that} truth will free you{ from what has enslaved you}.” BSB BSB: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 ARST They answered him,“We are the descendants of Abraham. We have never been anyone’ s slaves! Why do you say that we need to be free?” BSB BSB: “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”
34 ARST Jesus replied,“I am telling you the truth: Anyone who sins{ is controlled by his sinful desires like} a slave{ is controlled by his master}. BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35 ARST Slaves do not remain as{ members of their master’ s} family forever,{ but may be freed or sold}.{ However,} a son is a member of the family forever. BSB BSB: A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever.
36 ARST So if the Son frees you{ from being slaves to sin}, you will absolutely be able to refrain{ from sinning}. BSB BSB: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37 ARST I know that you are Abraham’ s physical descendants. However, you are trying to kill me because you refuse to trust what I say. BSB BSB: I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.
38 ARST I am telling you about the things that my Father has shown me. Therefore,{ I say that} you do what your father has told you to do.” BSB BSB: I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
39 ARST They replied to him,“Abraham is our ancestor.” Jesus said to them,“If you were Abraham’ s descendants, you would be doing the same things he did. BSB BSB: “Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.
40 ARST I have been telling you the true things that God told me, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham did not do something like that. BSB BSB: But 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.
41 ARST You are doing the same things that your real father did.” They told him,“We are not illegitimate children,{ like you are}! We have only one Father, and that is God.” BSB BSB: You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”
42 ARST Jesus told them,“If God were your Father, which he is not, you would love me because I came from him and have come to this world.{ This is true} because I did not come on my own authority. Rather, I came because God sent me. BSB BSB: Jesus 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.
43 ARST Do you know why you do not understand what I say? It is because you do not accept{ and obey} what I have told you! BSB BSB: Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
44 ARST You belong to your father, the devil, and you desire to do what he desires. He has been murdering people since the time people first{ sinned}. He has rejected what is true, because he never speaks those true things. Whenever he lies, he is doing what is natural for him to do, because he is a liar. He is even the origin of lying. BSB BSB: You 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. 45 ARST Yet you do not believe me, because I tell you what is true! BSB BSB: But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!
46 ARST { Since I have never sinned,} none of you can prove that I have. Since I tell you what is true, there is no good reason for you to not believe what I say! BSB BSB: Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47 ARST Those who belong to God accept{ and obey} what he has said. Since{ this is true,} you do not accept{ and obey} what God has said, because you do not belong to God.” BSB BSB: Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
48 ARST The Jews opposing Jesus replied to him,“We are certainly correct when we say that you are one of the Samaritans,{ whom we hate,} and that a demon is controlling you!” BSB BSB: The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”
49 ARST Jesus replied,“A demon is not controlling me! On the contrary, I honor my Father{ in heaven}, and you dishonor me! BSB BSB: “I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50 ARST I do not desire to persuade people to praise me. There is someone else who desires to do that and judges{ whether you or I am telling the truth}. BSB BSB: I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge.
51 ARST I am telling you the truth: Anyone who obeys my teaching will surely never die!” BSB BSB: Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”
52 ARST The Jews opposing Jesus said to him,“Now we are sure that a demon is controlling you! Abraham and the prophets died long ago! Yet you say that anyone who obeys your teaching will surely never die! BSB BSB: “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.
53 ARST You are surely not greater than our ancestor Abraham! He died and all the prophets also died.{ So} who do you think you are?” BSB BSB: Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”
54 ARST Jesus replied,“If I persuade people to praise me, that praise would be worthless. My Father is the one who praises me. He is the one whom you say is your God. BSB BSB: Jesus 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.’
55 ARST Although you do not know God, I do know him. If I said that I did not know him, I would be a liar like each of you. In contrast to you, I know him, and I always obey what he says. BSB BSB: You 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.
57 ARST Because{ Jesus said this}, the Jews opposing him told him,“{ Abraham died a long time ago, and} you are not even fifty years old! How can you have seen Abraham?” BSB BSB: Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”
59 ARST Because{ he was claiming to be God,} the Jews opposing Jesus picked up rocks to throw at him{ to kill him}. But Jesus hid{ in the crowd} and left the temple{ courtyard}. BSB BSB: At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.