THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

THE NEW TESTAMENT
TRANSLATED FROM
THE SYRIAC PESHITO VERSION BY JAMES MURDOCK

Chapter 8

(Joh 8:1) And Jesus went to the mount of Olives.

(Joh 8:2) And in the morning he came again to the temple; and all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

(Joh 8:3) And the Scribes and Pharisees brought forward a woman that was caught in adultery. And when they had placed her in the midst,

(Joh 8:4) they say to him: Teacher, this woman was caught openly in the act of adultery.

(Joh 8:5) And in the law of Moses, [God] hath commanded us to stone such persons. What therefore dost thou say?

(Joh 8:6) And this they said, tempting him, so that they might have [ground] to accuse him. But Jesus having stooped down, was writing on the ground.

(Joh 8:7) And as they continued asking him, he straightened himself up, and said to them: Whoever among you is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her.

(Joh 8:8) And, having again stooped down, he wrote on the ground.

(Joh 8:9) And they, when they heard [it], went out one by one, beginning with the older; and the woman was left, alone where she had stood in the midst.

(Joh 8:10) And when Jesus had straightened himself up, he said to the woman: Where are they? Doth no one condemn thee?

(Joh 8:11) And she said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither do I condemn thee. Go thou, and henceforth sin no more.

(Joh 8:12) And Jesus again conversed with them, and said: I am the light of the world: he that cometh to me, will not walk in darkness; but will find for himself the light of life.

(Joh 8:13) The Pharisees said to him: Thou bearest witness of thyself, thy testimony is not certain.

(Joh 8:14) Jesus answered and said to them: Although I bear witness of myself, my testimony is certain, because I know whence I came, and whither I go. But ye do not know, whence I came, and whither I go.

(Joh 8:15) Ye judge according to the flesh: I judge no one.

(Joh 8:16) Yet if I judge, my judgment is certain, because I am not alone, but I and my Father who sent me.

(Joh 8:17) And in your law it is written, that the testimony of two persons is certain.

(Joh 8:18) I am one: who bear witness of myself, and my Father who sent me, beareth witness of me.

(Joh 8:19) They say to him: Where is thy Father? Jesus replied, and said to them: Ye neither know me nor my Father. If ye had known me, ye would also have known my Father.

(Joh 8:20) These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no one laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

(Joh 8:21) Again Jesus said to them: I go away, and ye will seek me, and will die in your sins. And whither I go, ye cannot come.

(Joh 8:22) The Jews said: Is he about to kill himself, that he should say, Whither I go ye cannot come?

(Joh 8:23) And he said to them: Ye are from below, I am from above; ye are of this world, I am not of this world

(Joh 8:24) I said to you, That ye will die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye will die in your sins.

(Joh 8:25) The Jews said to him: Who art thou? Jesus said to them: Although I have begun to converse with you,

(Joh 8:26) I have yet many things to say and to Judge concerning you. But he that sent me is true: and the things which I have heard from him, them I speak in the world.

(Joh 8:27) And they did not know, that he spake to them of the Father.

(Joh 8:28) Jesus said to them again: When ye shall have lifted up the Son of man, then will ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing from my own pleasure, but as my Father taught me, so I speak.

(Joh 8:29) And he that sent me, is with me; and my Father hath not left me alone, because I do, at all times, that which pleaseth him.

(Joh 8:30) And when he had spoken these things, many believed on him.

(Joh 8:31) And Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him: If ye continue in my word, ye will be truly my disciples.

(Joh 8:32) And ye will know the truth; and the truth will make you free.

(Joh 8:33) They say to him: We are the seed of Abraham, and never were in servitude to any man; and how sayest thou, Ye will be freemen?

(Joh 8:34) Jesus said to them: Verily, verily, I say to you, That whoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.

(Joh 8:35) And a servant abideth not for ever in the house; but the Son abideth for ever.

(Joh 8:36) If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye will really be free men.

(Joh 8:37) I know that ye are the children of Abraham; but ye seek to kill me, because ye do not acquiesce in my word.

(Joh 8:38) I speak that which I have seen with my Father, and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

(Joh 8:39) They answered, and said to him: Our father is Abraham. Jesus said to them: If ye were children of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham.

(Joh 8:40) But now ye seek to kill me, a man who hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God: this did not Abraham.

(Joh 8:41) But ye do the works of your father. They say to him: We are not [the offspring] of whoredom; we have one Father, God.

(Joh 8:42) Jesus said to them: If God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded and came from God: I did not come of my own accord, but he sent me.

(Joh 8:43) Why do ye not understand my speech? It is because ye cannot hear my speech.

(Joh 8:44) Ye are of your father, the calumniator; and the lust of your father ye are disposed to do. He was from the beginning a manslayer, and abode not in the truth; for the truth is not in him, and when he speaketh a lie he speaketh from himself, for he is a liar, and the father of it.

(Joh 8:45) But me, because I speak the truth, ye believe me not.

(Joh 8:46) Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if I speak the truth, why do ye not believe me?

(Joh 8:47) He that is of God, heareth the words of God. Therefore ye do not hear, because ye are not of God.

(Joh 8:48) The Jews answered, and said to him: Did we not well say, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?

(Joh 8:49) Jesus said to them: I have no demon: but I honor God; and ye contemn me.

(Joh 8:50) But I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeketh [it], and judgeth.

(Joh 8:51) Verily, verily, I say to you: He that keepeth my word, will never see death.

(Joh 8:52) The Jews say to him: Now we know, that thou hast a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; yet thou sayest: He that keepeth my word, will never taste death.

(Joh 8:53) Art thou greater than our father Abraham who is dead, or than the prophets who died? What dost thou make thyself?

(Joh 8:54) Jesus said to them: If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifieth me, of whom ye say, He is our God.

(Joh 8:55) And ye know him not. But I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar, like you: but I do know him, and I observe his word.

(Joh 8:56) Abraham your father desired to see my day: and he saw it, and rejoiced.

(Joh 8:57) The Jews say to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

(Joh 8:58) Jesus said to them: Verily, verily I say to you, That before Abraham existed, I was.

(Joh 8:59) And they took up stones to stone him. But Jesus concealed himself, and went out of the temple, and passed along among them, and went away.