8 Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he made his way to the temple complex again and all the people were coming to hear him teach. He sat down and began teaching them. 3 Then the religious teachers and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and made her stand in front of them. 4 They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.  5 According to the law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. So what do you propose?”  6 They asked this in order to trap Jesus, so that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted with their question, he stood up and said to them, “Whoever is without sin among you should be the first to throw a rock at her.”  8 Then Jesus stooped down again and continued to write on the ground.  9 When they saw this they left one by one starting with the older men. Only Jesus was left, with the woman standing with him. 10 When Jesus stood up he said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”  11 She answered him, “No one, lord.” Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. So leave, but do not sin anymore.”
    12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light[611] of the world. Anyone who follows me and my teaching will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”  13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself, so your testimony is invalid.” Jesus answered,  14 “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is indeed valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You are using external, unspiritual standards to judge. I am judging no one.  16 But if I do judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father who commissioned me are united in our judgment.  17 Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men[612] is valid.  18 I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who commissioned me testifies about me also.”  19 So then they were asking him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You recognize neither me nor my Father. If you knew me you would also recognize my Father.” [613] 20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple complex. But no one arrested him, because his decisive hour had not yet come.
    21 Then he said to them again, “I am going away; you will search for me and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said again, “Is he going to kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” 23 Jesus replied, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.  24 That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, the Messiah,[614] you will die in your sins.” 25 They asked him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, “Precisely what I have been telling you from the very beginning.  26 I have a lot more things to say to you which judge you, but the One who commissioned me is true, and what I have heard from him — that is what I am announcing to the world.” 27 They did not know that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said this, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, the Messiah, and that I do nothing on my own, but just as the Father taught me, so I speak.  29 The one who commissioned me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I continuously do what pleases Him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many came to believe in him.
    31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my Gospel-word, then you really are my disciples.  32 And you will know the truth[615] and that truth will set you free.” 33 They answered, “We are descendants of Abraham, and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How then can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
    34 Jesus responded, “I assure you of this: everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.  35 A slave does not remain a member of the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 Therefore if the son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I recognize that you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my Gospel-word makes no progress in you. [616] 38 I speak what I have learned and understood[617] in the presence of my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
    39 They said, “Our father is Abraham!” Jesus replied to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did,  40 but in fact you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, the truth which I heard from God. Abraham certainly did not do this! 41 You are doing exactly what your father does.” They said, “We were not born of sexual immorality.[618] We have one Father – God.” [619] 42 Jesus said to them, “If God really was your Father, you would love me, because I originated from God[620] and I have come here. I did not come on my own, but He commissioned me.  43 Why are you incapable of understanding what I am saying to you? It is because you cannot listen to and grasp my Gospel-word. 44 You are the products of your father the Devil, and your desire is to carry out your father’s wishes. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not remained in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars. 45 Yet because I tell you the truth you refuse to believe me.  46 Who among you can convict me of sin? If I tell you the truth, why are you not believing me? 47 The person who is of God listens to and grasps God’s words. This is why you do not listen to those words, because you are not of God.”
    48 The Jews responded to him, “We are certainly right to say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon.” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary I am honoring my Father and you are dishonoring me. 50 I am not seeking my own glory. There is One who seeks glory and judges. 51 I tell you, if anyone keeps my Gospel-word he will ultimately not see death.” 52 Then the Jews said, “Now we know for certain that you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. But you say, ‘If anyone keeps my Gospel-word he will never experience death’! 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? Even the prophets died. Who do you think you are?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself my glory amounts to nothing. My Father — of whom you say He is our God — He is the one who glorifies me. 55 You have never come to know Him, but I know Him. If I were to say I do not know Him, I would be a liar just like you. But I do in fact know Him, and I keep His Gospel-word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed at the prospect that he would see my day. He saw it and rejoiced looking forward to the future.” 57 The Jews replied, “You are not even fifty years old yet, and yet you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Let me assure you on the highest authority, before Abraham ever existed, I am the Messiah.” [621] 59 Hearing those words, they picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and left the temple complex.