John 8:1–11

A Woman Caught in Adultery

¹Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ²Early the next morning he returned to the temple courtyard. All the people went to him, so he sat down and began to teach them. 

³The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone ⁴and asked Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the act of adultery. ⁵In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?” ⁶They asked this to test him. They wanted to find a reason to bring charges against him. 

Jesus bent down and used his finger to write on the ground. ⁷When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, “The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground. 

⁹One by one, beginning with the older men, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees left. Jesus was left alone with the woman. ¹⁰Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?” 

¹¹The woman answered, “No one, sir.” 

Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you either. Go! From now on don’t sin.”