Part 13

007:048 "has any one of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?

007:049 But this rabble who understand nothing about the Law are accursed!"

007:050 Nicodemus interposed--he who had formerly gone to Jesus, being himself one of them.

007:051 "Does our Law," he asked, "judge a man without first hearing what he has to say and ascertaining what his conduct is?"

007:052 "Do you also come from Galilee?" they asked in reply. "Search and see for yourself that no Prophet is of Galilaean origin."

007:053 [So they went away to their several homes;

008:001 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

008:002 At break of day however He returned to the Temple, and there the people came to Him in crowds. He seated Himself;

008:003 and was teaching them when the Scribes and the Pharisees brought to Him a woman who had been found committing adultery. They made her stand in the centre of the court, and they put the case to Him.

008:004 "Rabbi," they said, "this woman has been found in the very act of committing adultery.

008:005 Now, in the Law, Moses has ordered us to stone such women to death. But what do you say?"

008:006 They asked this in order to put Him to the test, so that they might have some charge to bring against Him. But Jesus leant forward and began to write with His finger on the ground.

008:007 When however they persisted with their question, He raised His head and said to them, "Let the sinless man among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

008:008 Then He leant forward again, and again began to write on the ground.

008:009 They listened to Him, and then, beginning with the eldest, took their departure, one by one, till all were gone. And Jesus was left behind alone--and the woman in the centre of the court.

008:010 Then, raising His head, Jesus said to her, "Where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

008:011 "No one, Sir," she replied. "And *I* do not condemn you either," said Jesus; "go, and from this time do not sin any more."]

008:012 Once more Jesus addressed them. "I am the Light of the world," He said; "the man who follows me shall certainly not walk in the dark, but shall have the light of Life."

008:013 "You are giving testimony about yourself," said the Pharisees; "your testimony is not true."

008:014 "Even if I am giving testimony about myself," replied Jesus, "my testimony is true; for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you know neither of these two things.

008:015 You judge according to appearances: I am judging no one.

008:016 And even if I do judge, my judgement is just; for I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.

008:017 In your own Law, too, it is written that the testimony of two men is true.

008:018 I am one giving testimony about myself, and the Father who sent me gives testimony about me."

008:019 "Where is your Father?" they asked. "You know my Father as little as you know me." He replied; "if you knew me, you would know my Father also."

008:020 These sayings He uttered in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple; yet no one arrested Him, because His time had not yet come.

008:021 Again He said to them, "I am going away. Then you will try to find me, but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, it is impossible for you to come."

008:022 The Jews began to ask one another, "Is he going to kill himself, do you think, that he says, `Where I am going, it is impossible for you to come'?"