1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2At sunrise he arrived again in the temple courtyard. All the people gathered around him there. He sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman. She had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of the group. 4They said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who was not her husband. 5In the Law, Moses commanded us to kill such women by throwing stones at them. Now what do you say?” 6They were trying to trap Jesus with that question. They wanted to have a reason to bring charges against him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7They kept asking him questions. So he stood up and said to them, “Has any one of you not sinned? Then you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8He bent down again and wrote on the ground.
9Those who heard what he had said began to go away. They left one at a time, the older ones first. Soon only Jesus was left. The woman was still standing there. 10Jesus stood up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Hasn’t anyone found you guilty?”
11“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then I don’t find you guilty either,” Jesus said. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Challenge to What Jesus Says About Himself
12Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have that light. They will have life.”
13The Pharisees argued with him. “Here you are,” they said, “appearing as your own witness. But your witness does not count.”
14Jesus answered, “Even if I am a witness about myself, what I say does count. I know where I came from. And I know where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards. I don’t judge anyone. 16But if I do judge, what I decide is true. This is because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17Your own Law says that the witness of two people proves the truth about something. 18I am a witness about myself. The other witness about me is the Father, who sent me.”
19Then 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.” 20He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple courtyard. He was near the place where the offerings were put. But no one arrested him. That’s because the time for him to die had not yet come.
Challenge to Who Jesus Claims to Be
21Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. You can’t come where I am going.”
22This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘You can’t come where I am going’?”
23But Jesus said, “You are from below. I am from heaven. You are from this world. I am not from this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins. This will happen if you don’t believe that I am he. If you don’t believe, you will certainly die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26“I have a lot to say that will judge you. But the one who sent me can be trusted. And I tell the world what I have heard from him.”
27They did not understand that Jesus was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, “You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I am he. You will also know that I do nothing on my own. I speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” 30Even while Jesus was speaking, many people believed in him.
Challenge to the Claim to Be Children of Abraham
31Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed him. “If you obey my teaching,” he said, “you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free.”
33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s children. We have never been slaves of anyone. So how can you say that we will be set free?”
34Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave has no lasting place in the family. But a son belongs to the family forever. 36So if the Son of Man sets you free, you will really be free. 37I know that you are Abraham’s children. But you are looking for a way to kill me. You have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. You are doing what you have heard from your father.”
39“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
Jesus said, “Are you really Abraham’s children? If you are, you will do what Abraham did. 40But you are looking for a way to kill me. I am a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do the things you want to do. 41You are doing what your own father does.”
“We have the right to claim to be God’s children,” they objected. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. I have come here from God. I have not come on my own. God sent me. 43Why aren’t my words clear to you? Because you can’t really hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me! 46Can any of you prove I am guilty of sinning? Am I not telling the truth? Then why don’t you believe me? 47Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God.”
Jesus Makes Claims About Himself
48The Jews answered Jesus, “Aren’t we right when we say you are a Samaritan? Aren’t you controlled by a demon?”
49“I am not controlled by a demon,” said Jesus. “I honor my Father. You do not honor me. 50I am not seeking glory for myself. But there is one who brings glory to me. He is the judge. 51What I’m about to tell you is true. Whoever obeys my word will never die.”
52Then they cried out, “Now we know you are controlled by a demon! Abraham died. So did the prophets. But you say that whoever obeys your word will never die. 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died. So did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54Jesus replied, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory means nothing. You claim that my Father is your God. He is the one who brings glory to me. 55You do not know him. But I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him. And I obey his word. 56Your father Abraham was filled with joy at the thought of seeing my day. He saw it and was glad.”
57“You are not even 50 years old,” they said to Jesus. “And you have seen Abraham?”
58“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “Before Abraham was born, I am!” 59When he said this, they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus hid himself. He slipped away from the temple area.
Preljubnica
1Isus se vrati na Maslinsku goru, 2no rano sljedećeg jutra opet dođe u Hram. Mnoštvo se ubrzo okupi oko njega, a on sjedne i počne ih poučavati. 3Dok je govorio, židovski poglavari i farizeji dovedu mu neku ženu uhvaćenu u preljubu. Postave ju ispred radoznaloga mnoštva.
4“Učitelju,” rekoše Isusu, “ova je žena zatečena u sâmome činu preljuba. 5Mojsijev nam zakon kaže da bismo ju trebali kamenovati. Što ti na to kažeš?”
6Htjeli su ga navesti da kaže nešto zbog čega bi ga mogli optužiti, ali Isus se samo sagnuo i počeo pisati prstom po prašini. 7Kako su i dalje zahtijevali da im odgovori, on se uspravi i reče im: “Pa dobro, kamenujte ju—ali neka prvi baci kamen na nju onaj od vas koji još nikada nije zgriješio!” 8Zatim se ponovno sagne i nastavi pisati po tlu.
9A vjerski se poglavari krišom raziđu jedan po jedan, počevši od najstarijega. Isus ostane ispred mnoštva sam sa ženom. 10Opet se uspravi i reče joj: “Gdje su tvoji tužitelji, ženo? Zar te nijedan nije osudio?”
11“Nijedan, Gospodine”, odgovori žena.
A Isus joj reče: “Ni ja te ne osuđujem. Idi i ne griješi više!”
Isus, svjetlo svijeta
12Isus ponovno reče narodu: “Ja sam svjetlo svijeta. Tko me slijedi, neće se spoticati u tami, već će imati svjetlo koje vodi u život.”
13Farizeji mu odgovore: “Ti svjedočiš sam o sebi i zato što govoriš nije istina!”
14Isus reče: “Govorim istinu, iako svjedočim sam o sebi, jer znam odakle sam došao i kamo idem. A vi to ne znate. 15Vi o meni sudite prema ljudskim mjerilima, ali ja nikoga ne osuđujem. 16A i kad bih sudio, bio bi to potpuno pravedan sud jer nisam sâm—uza me je Otac koji me poslao. 17Vaš Zakon kaže da svjedočanstvo dvojice, ako je istovjetno, valja prihvatiti kao istinito.8:17 Vidjeti: Ponovljeni zakon 19:15. 18Evo, ja svjedočim za sebe, a moj je Otac koji me je poslao drugi svjedok.”
19“Gdje ti je Otac?” upitaju ga. Isus im odgovori: “Ne znate tko sam ja, pa ne znate ni tko mi je Otac. Kad biste mene poznavali, znali biste i njega.” 20Isus je sve to rekao u riznici dok je poučavao u Hramu. Pa ipak, nisu ga uhitili jer još nije došlo njegovo vrijeme.
Upozorenje nevjernicima
21Poslije im Isus ponovno reče: “Ja odlazim, a vi ćete me tražiti i umrijet ćete u svojem grijehu. Kamo ja idem, vi ne možete doći.”
22Židovi se nato stanu pitati: “Da se možda ne kani ubiti? Na što je mislio kad je rekao: ‘Kamo ja idem, vi ne možete doći’?”
23On im tada reče: “Vi ste odozdol, a ja sam odozgor. Vi ste od ovoga svijeta, a ja nisam. 24Eto, zato sam rekao da ćete umrijeti u svojim grijesima. Jer ne povjerujete li da sam onaj koji kažem da jesam, umrijet ćete u svojim grijesima.”
25“Reci nam tko si”, tražili su. On odgovori: “Ja sam onaj koji vam od početka i tvrdim da jesam.8:25 Ili: Zašto vam uopće i govorim? 26Imao bih mnogo toga za vas kazati i osuditi vas za mnogošto, ali neću jer govorim samo ono što mi kaže onaj koji me poslao, a on je Istiniti.” 27Oni, međutim, nisu razumjeli da im govori o Ocu.
28Stoga Isus reče: “Kad podignete Sina Čovječjega na križ, shvatit ćete da sam ja taj i da vam nisam govorio vlastite misli, nego samo ono što me je Otac naučio. 29Onaj koji me je poslao sa mnom je. Ne ostavlja me samoga zato što uvijek činim ono što je njemu ugodno.”
30Mnogi koji su ga čuli da to govori povjeruju u njega.
Isus i Abraham
31Tada Isus reče Židovima koji su mu povjerovali: “Uistinu ste moji učenici ako živite onako kako vam kažem. 32Upoznat ćete istinu, a istina će vas osloboditi.”
33“Ali mi smo Abrahamovi potomci”, kazaše oni. “Nikad nismo nikome robovali. Kako to misliš—‘oslobodit će vas’?”
34Isus im odgovori: “Svi ste vi robovi grijeha. 35Rob nema stalnog mjesta u obitelji, ali sin joj zauvijek pripada. 36Ako vas, dakle, Sin oslobodi, zaista ćete biti slobodni. 37Znam da ste Abrahamovi potomci, ali ipak me neki od vas žele ubiti jer moja riječ ne nalazi odjeka u vašim srcima. 38Govorim vam ono što sam vidio kad sam bio kod Oca. Ali vi ipak slijedite savjet svojega oca.”
39“Naš je otac Abraham”, odgovore oni. “Da vam je Abraham otac,” reče im Isus, “slijedili biste njegov dobar primjer.8:39 U nekim rukopisima: Ako ste djeca Abrahamova, slijedite njegov primjer. 40Umjesto toga, pokušavate me ubiti—samo zato što sam vam govorio istinu koju sam čuo od Boga. Takvo što Abraham nikad nije učinio! 41Ne; kad tako postupate, slušate svojega pravog oca.” “Nismo mi rođeni iz preljuba—naš pravi otac je sâm Bog”, odgovore mu.
42Isus im reče: “Kad bi bilo tako, voljeli biste i mene jer sam od Boga izišao i došao k vama. Nisam sâm došao, nego me je on poslao. 43Zašto ne možete shvatiti što vam govorim? Zato što niste kadri slušati moju riječ. 44Jer vam je otac đavao, pa volite činiti zlo koje on čini. On je od početka ubojica i mrzi istinu, jer u njemu nema ni trunka istine. Kad laže, govori što je njegovo jer je lažac i otac laži. 45Zato meni ne vjerujete kad vam govorim istinu. 46Koji mi od vas može dokazati i jedan jedini grijeh? Ako vam govorim istinu, zašto mi ne vjerujete? 47Komu je Otac Bog, rado sluša Božje riječi. Vi ih ne slušate zato što niste njegova djeca.”
48“Nismo li mi dobro rekli da si Samarijanac i da si opsjednut zloduhom?”
49Isus reče: “Nisam ja opsjednut zloduhom, već poštujem svojeg Oca, a vi me prezirete. 50Ionako ne tražim da sebe proslavim. Bog tako želi i On je sudac. 51Zaista vam kažem, tko sluša moje riječi, nikada neće vidjeti smrti.”
52“Sad znamo da te opsjeo zloduh”, rekoše mu židovski vođe. “Abraham je umro kao i proroci, a ti pak tvrdiš da onaj koji sluša tvoje riječi neće vidjeti smrti! 53Zar si ti veći od našeg oca Abrahama, koji je umro? I od proroka, koji su pomrli? Pa kime se ti praviš?”
54Isus im tada reče: “Hvalim li sâm sebe, to ništa ne vrijedi—no mene proslavlja moj Otac. Za njega vi tvrdite da je vaš Bog, 55a uopće ga ne poznajete. Ali ja ga poznajem. Kad bih rekao da ga ne poznajem, bio bih lažac kao i vi. No istina je da ga poznajem i da slušam njegove riječi. 56Vaš se otac Abraham radovao mojemu dolasku. Vidio ga je i jako se razveselio.”
57Židovski poglavari rekoše: “Nemaš još ni pedeset godina, a kažeš da si vidio Abrahama!”8:57 U nekim rukopisima: Kako možeš reći da te Abraham vidio?
58Isus im odvrati: “Zaista vam kažem, Ja jesam,8:58 Ja jesam ime je kojim je Bog sebe nazvao u Starome zavjetu. još prije nego što je Abraham i rođen.”8:58 U grčkome: …prije nego je Abraham postao, Ja jesam.
59Nato židovski poglavari pograbe kamenje da ga ubiju, ali Isus kradomice iziđe iz Hrama.
