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John 8
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| 8:1
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. |
 (7:53 - 8:11) The woman caught in adultery
This is one of the best-known and most-loved of all Bible stories, but it shouldn't be in the Bible.
For although some manuscripts put it
here, others after John 7:36 or 21:35, or Luke 21:38, it is not
found anywhere in the oldest and best manuscripts.
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| 8:2
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people
came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
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| 8:3
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery;
and when they had set her in the midst,
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| 8:4
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very
act. |
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| 8:5
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what
sayest thou? |
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| 8:6
This 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. |
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| 8:7
So 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. |
"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
Jesus tells those who'd like to stone to death
an adulteress that whoever among them that is without sin should "cast the
first stone." Good advice -- but it directly contradicts the teachings of
the Old Testament (Lev.20:10). If that wasn't a
good law then, why did God make it? Has he since changed his mind? If so, shouldn't it
then be removed (along with most of the OT) from the bible?
How should adulterers be punished?
Does God approve of capital punishment?
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| 8:8
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
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| 8:9
And 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.
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| 8:10
When 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?
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| 8:11
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn
thee: go, and sin no more. |
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| 8:12
Then 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. |
BOM: Mosiah 16:9, Alma 38:9
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| 8:13
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy
record is not true. |
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| 8:14
Jesus 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. |
 (8:14, 18)
"Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true"
Did Jesus bears witness of himself?
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| 8:15
Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. |
"I judge no man."
Does Jesus judge people?
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| 8:16
And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the
Father that sent me. |
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| 8:17
It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. |
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| 8:18
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth
witness of me. |
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| 8:19
Then 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. |
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| 8:20
These 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. |
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| 8:21
Then 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. |
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| 8:22
Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go,
ye cannot come. |
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| 8:23
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of
this world; I am not of this world. |
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| 8:24
I 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. |
"If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
If you don't believe in Jesus, you will "die in your sins" (and then go to hell).
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| 8:25
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the
same that I said unto you from the beginning. |
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| 8:26
I 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. |
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| 8:27
They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. |
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| 8:28
Then 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. |
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| 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I
do always those things that please him. |
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| 8:30
As he spake these words, many believed on him. |
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| 8:31
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed; |
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| 8:32
And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free. |
"The truth shall make you free."
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| 8:33
They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any
man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? |
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| 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth
sin is the servant of sin. |
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| 8:35
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth
ever. |
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| 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. |
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| 8:37
I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word
hath no place in you. |
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| 8:38
I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye
have seen with your father. |
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| 8:39
They 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. |
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| 8:40
But now ye seek to kill
me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of
God: this did not Abraham. |
"But now ye seek to kill me, a man."
Is Jesus God?
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| 8:41
Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of
fornication; we have one Father, even God. |
"We be not born of fornication" -- implying that Jesus was.
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| 8:42
Jesus 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. |
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| 8:43
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. |
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| 8:44
Ye 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. |
"Ye are of your father the devil."
Jesus calls his opponents (the Jews) the sons of the devil.
"There is no truth in him [the devil]."
If so, then why did the devils call Jesus "the Christ, Son of
God"? (Lk.4:41) Were they lying then too?
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| 8:45
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. |
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| 8:46
Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not
believe me? |
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| 8:47
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because
ye are not of God. |
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| 8:48
Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a
Samaritan, and hast a devil? |
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| 8:49
Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do
dishonour me. |
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| 8:50
And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. |
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| 8:51
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see
death. |
"If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."
Must everyone die?
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| 8:52Then 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. |
"Then said the Jews unto him, Now
we know that thou hast a devil."
After Jesus makes the foolish claim that those
who believe in him will never die, his listeners reply, "now we know that
thou hast a devil."
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| 8:53
Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets
are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
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| 8:54
Jesus 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: |
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| 8:55
Yet 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. |
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| 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. |
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| 8:57
Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast
thou seen Abraham? |
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| 8:58
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Before Abraham was, I am. |
"Before Abraham was, I am."
By saying "before Abraham was, I am," Jesus claims to be God.
Was he?
Of course, the Watchtower tries to change the meaning of Jesus'
words by having him say, "Before Abraham came into existence I have been." I suppose this is
supposed to mean that he was around as the Archangel Michael back then or something.
(The NWT translates "ego eimi" as "I am" everywhere it
occurs except in this verse.)
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| 8:59
Then 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.
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