From: abvax!ALF.CS.HH.AB.COM!BENNING
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: NCS-- John 8
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 9:13:54 -0500 (EST)



                         JOHN 8:1-59
                         ===========


John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the
people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.

John 8:3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman
caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group

John 8:4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act
of adultery.

John 8:5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what
do you say?"

John 8:6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a
basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on
the ground with his finger.

John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and
said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first
to throw a stone at her."

John 8:8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 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.

John 8:10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?"

John 8:11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you,"
Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."


  THE VALIDITY OF JESUS' TESTIMONY
  ================================

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."

John 8:13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as
your own witness; your testimony is not valid."

John 8:14 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.
But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

John 8:15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

John 8:16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not
alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

John 8:17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men
is valid.

John 8:18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the
Father, who sent me."

John 8:19 Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not
know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know
my Father also."

John 8:20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near
the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because
his time had not yet come.

John 8:21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will
look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot
come."

John 8:22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why
he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"

John 8:23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You
are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not
believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your
sins."

John 8:25 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming
all along," Jesus replied.

John 8:26 "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me
is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."

John 8:27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his
Father.

John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then
you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on
my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

John 8:29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,
for I always do what pleases him."

John 8:30 Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.


  THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM
  =======================

John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold
to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free."

John 8:33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have
never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set
free?"

John 8:34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a
slave to sin.

John 8:35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son
belongs to it forever.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to
kill me, because you have no room for my word.

John 8:38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence,
and you do what you have heard from your father."

John 8:39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were
Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham
did.

John 8:40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told
you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.

John 8:41 You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not
illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is
God himself."


  THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL
  =========================

John 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love
me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own;
but he sent me.

John 8:43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable
to hear what I say.

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry
out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not
holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he
speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

John 8:46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the
truth, why don't you believe me?

John 8:47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do
not hear is that you do not belong to God."

  THE CLAIMS OF JESUS ABOUT HIMSELF
  =================================

John 8:48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you
are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

John 8:49 "I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honor my
Father and you dishonor me.

John 8:50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who
seeks it, and he is the judge.

John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never
see death."

John 8:52 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are
demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say
that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.

John 8:53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did
the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

John 8:54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.
My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

John 8:55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not,
I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my
day; he saw it and was glad."

John 8:57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him,
"and you have seen Abraham!"

John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was
born, I am!"

John 8:59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid
himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.