Many of the people, when they heard this, said, Truly, this is the prophet. Others said, This is the Messiah. This is the Christ. But some asked, Can He come from Galilee? Has the scripture not said that He will come from the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? Now there was a division among the people about Him. Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
When the officers went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, they asked, Why have you not brought Him? The officers answered, No one ever spoke like this man. The Pharisees said, Are you deceived also? Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed Him? These people who do not know the law are cursed! Nicodemus, the one among them who went to see Jesus at night, said to them, Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does? They answered him, Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee. Then each went to his own house.
8. That night Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He went back to the temple and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman they accused of adultery. They put her in their midst and said to Jesus, Master, this woman was taken in the very act of adultery. Moses, in the law, commanded us to stone such a person. What do you say? They said this to trap Him so they would have grounds to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and, with His finger, wrote on the ground as if He did not hear them. When they repeated the question to Him, He stood up and said to them, He who is without sin, let him cast a stone at her. Then He stooped down again and wrote on the ground.
Those who heard this were stricken by their own consciences. One by one, they went out, beginning with the eldest and down to the youngest. Jesus was now left alone with the woman still standing in the midst. When He stood up again and saw no one except the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord. Then Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.
Then Jesus spoke again to the people. He said, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The Pharisees said to Him, You bear record of yourself. Your record is not true. Jesus answered, Though I bear record of myself, my record is true because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you cannot tell from where I came, or to where I go. You judge according to the flesh. But I judge no man. And yet, if I judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me are one.
It is written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who bears witness of myself. The Father who sent me also bears witness of me. Then they said to Him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me nor my Father. If you had known me you would have known my Father also. Jesus said this in the treasury as He taught in the temple. No man laid hands on Him becuase His hour had not yet come.
Jesus said to them, I will go my way. You will seek me and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come. Then the Jews said, Will He kill Himself because He said, Where I go, you cannot come? Jesus said to them, You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you will die in your sins because if you do not believe who I am, you will destroy yourselves in the darkness of your sins.
Then they said to Him, Who are you? Jesus said, I am the same that I said to you from the beginning. There are many things that I, myself, could say and accuse you of, but He who sent me is true. I speak to the world the things that I have heard from Him. The people did not understand that He spoke to them about God.
Then Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of man, you will know who I am. I do nothing of myself. I speak only what my Father has taught me. He who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone because I always do what pleases Him. As Jesus spoke these words many believed Him. Jesus said to the Jews who believed Him, If you remain in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.
They answered Him, We are Abraham's seed and were never bound to any man. How is it you say, We will be made free? Jesus answered, Verily, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. The servant does not abide in the house forever, but the Son does abide forever. If the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed.