New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
1
But Jesus went to the Mountain of Olives.
2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.
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And early in the morning he came again into the Temple and all the people came to him and he was seated teaching them.
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them,
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Now the scribes and Pharisees came, with a woman who had been taken in the act of sinning against the married relation;
4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.
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And putting her forward, they said to him, Master, this woman has been taken in the very act of sinning against the married relation.
5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
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Now in the law Moses gave directions that such women were to be stoned; what do you say about it?
6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
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They said this, testing him, so that they might have something against him. But Jesus, with his head bent down, made letters on the floor with his finger.
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
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But when they went on with their questions, he got up and said to them, Let him among you who is without sin be the first to send a stone at her.
8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
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And again, with bent head, he made letters on the floor.
9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
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And when his words came to their ears, they went out one by one, starting with the oldest even to the last, because they were conscious of what was in their hearts: and Jesus was there by himself with the woman before him.
10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
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Then Jesus got up, and seeing nobody but the woman, he said to her, Where are the men who said things against you? did no one give a decision against you?
11 She said, "No one, sir." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again."]
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And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, And I do not give a decision against you: go, and never do wrong again.]
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."
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Then again Jesus said to them, I am the light of the world; he who comes with me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life.
13 Then the Pharisees said to him, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid."
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So the Pharisees said to him, The witness you give is about yourself: your witness is not true.
14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
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Jesus said in answer, Even if I give witness about myself, my witness is true, because I have knowledge of where I came from and where I am going; but you have no knowledge of where I come from or of where I am going.
15 You judge by human standards; I judge no one.
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You are judging from what you see; I am judging no man.
16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
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Even if I am judging, my decision is right, because I am not by myself--with me is the Father who sent me.
17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.
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Even in your law it is said that the witness of two men is true.
18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf."
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I give witness about myself and the Father who sent me gives witness about me.
19 Then they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
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Then they said to him, Where is your Father? Jesus said in answer, You have no knowledge of me or of my Father: if you had knowledge of me you would have knowledge of my Father.
20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
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Jesus said these words in the place where the offerings were stored, while he was teaching in the Temple: but no man took him because his time was still to come.
21 Again he said to them, "I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."
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Then he said to them again, I am going away and you will be looking for me, but death will overtake you in your sins. It is not possible for you to come where I am going.
22 Then the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, "Where I am going, you cannot come'?"
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So the Jews said, Will he take his life? Is that why he says, Where I go it is not possible for you to come?
23 He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
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And he said to them, You are of the earth; I am from heaven: you are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he."
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For this reason I said to you that death will overtake you in your sins: for if you have not faith that I am he, death will come to you while you are in your sins.
25 They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do I speak to you at all?
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Then they said to him, Who are you? Jesus said, What I said to you from the first.
26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."
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I have much to say about you and against you: but he who sent me is true and what he has said to me I say to the world.
27 They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.
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They did not see that his words were about the Father.
28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.
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So Jesus said, When the Son of man has been lifted up by you, then it will be clear to you who I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but say as the Father gave me teaching.
29 And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."
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He who sent me is with me; he has not gone from me, because at all times I do the things which are pleasing to him.
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
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When he said this a number came to have faith in him.
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
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Then Jesus said to the Jews who had faith in him, If you keep my word, then you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
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And you will have knowledge of what is true, and that will make you free.
33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, "You will be made free'?"
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They said to him in answer, We are Abraham's seed and have never been any man's servant: why do you say, You will become free?
34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
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And this was the answer Jesus gave them: Truly I say to you, Everyone who does evil is the servant of sin.
35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.
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Now the servant does not go on living in the house for ever, but the son does.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
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If then the son makes you free, you will be truly free.
37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.
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I am conscious that you are Abraham's seed; but you have a desire to put me to death because my word has no place in you.
38 I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father."
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I say the things which I have seen in my Father's house: and you do the things which come to you from your father's house.
39 They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did,
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In answer they said to him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham's children you would do what Abraham did.
40 but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.
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But now you have a desire to put me to death, a man who has said to you what is true, as I had it from God: Abraham did not do that.
41 You are indeed doing what your father does." They said to him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself."
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You are doing the works of your father. They said to him, We are true sons of Abraham; we have one Father, who is God.
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
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Jesus said to them, If God was your Father you would have love for me, because it was from God I came and am here. I did not come of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word.
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Why are my words not clear to you? It is because your ears are shut to my teaching.
44 You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
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You are the children of your father the Evil One and it is your pleasure to do his desires. From the first he was a taker of life; and he did not go in the true way because there is no true thing in him. When he says what is false, it is natural to him, for he is false and the father of what is false.
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
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But because I say what is true, you have no belief in me.
46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
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Which of you is able truly to say that I am a sinner? If I say what is true, why have you no belief in me?
47 Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."
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He who is a child of God gives ear to the words of God: your ears are not open to them because you are not from God.
48 The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
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The Jews said to him in answer, Are we not right in saying that you are of Samaria and have an evil spirit?
49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
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And this was the answer of Jesus: I have not an evil spirit; but I give honour to my Father and you do not give honour to me.
50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.
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I, however, am not in search of glory for myself: there is One who is searching for it and he is judge.
51 Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."
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Truly I say to you, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.
52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
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The Jews said to him, Now we are certain that you have an evil spirit. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead; and you say, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.
53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?"
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Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: who do you say that you are?
54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, "He is our God,'
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Jesus said in answer, If I take glory for myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who gives me glory, of whom you say that he is your God.
55 though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.
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You have no knowledge of him, but I have knowledge of him; and if I said I have no knowledge of him I would be talking falsely like you: but I have full knowledge of him, and I keep his word.
56 Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."
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Your father Abraham was full of joy at the hope of seeing my day: he saw it and was glad.
57 Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
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Then the Jews said to him, You are not fifty years old; have you seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."
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Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, Before Abraham came into being, I am.
59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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So they took up stones to send at him: but Jesus got secretly out of their way and went out of the Temple.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.