John 8 in the early church

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.”

And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.

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.

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

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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

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

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

“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.”

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.

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.”

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

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

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.”

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

“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.”

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

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.

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

As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.