John 8 3

John 8:3 kjv

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

John 8:3 nkjv

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

John 8:3 niv

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group

John 8:3 esv

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

John 8:3 nlt

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

John 8 verses

John 8 3 Meaning

The verse introduces a critical moment where Jewish religious leaders, identified as scribes and Pharisees, brought a woman who had been undeniably caught in the act of adultery. Their deliberate action of placing her prominently "in the midst" of the gathering was not driven by a genuine pursuit of justice alone, but served as a public spectacle and a premeditated attempt to entrap Jesus, forcing Him into a situation where any response would seem to contradict either Mosaic Law or Roman authority, or diminish His own perceived mercy.

John 8 3 Context

John chapter 8 continues Jesus' presence at the Temple, following His declaration in John 7 that He is the source of living water and the events of the Feast of Booths. This specific incident begins directly after the conclusion of chapter 7, which described Jesus teaching in the temple and a divided response among the people regarding His identity. John 8:1-2 shows Jesus teaching early in the morning, as was His custom. John 8:3 then immediately interrupts this teaching with the dramatic arrival of the scribes and Pharisees.

Historically, this period saw Judea under Roman occupation, which significantly impacted the enforcement of Jewish law. While Jewish courts retained authority over religious matters and could issue judgments according to the Law, the ultimate power of capital punishment was largely, if not entirely, reserved for the Roman governor. This restriction forms a critical backdrop for the trap laid for Jesus: if He affirmed the stoning penalty, He would appear to incite rebellion against Roman authority; if He denied it, He would be seen as undermining Mosaic Law, a charge the religious leaders could then use against Him. The event thus encapsulates the ongoing tension between Jewish tradition, Roman power, and the radical message and authority of Jesus.

John 8 3 Word analysis

• "The scribes" (γραμματεῖς - grammateis): These were professional interpreters and teachers of the Jewish Law. They possessed profound knowledge of the Torah and oral traditions. Their presence signified an official, legalistic challenge to Jesus.
• "and the Pharisees" (Φαρισαῖοι - Pharisaioi): A highly influential and zealous religious party that rigorously adhered to the Mosaic Law and a vast body of unwritten traditions. They often clashed with Jesus over His interpretations of the Law, His association with "sinners," and His claims of authority. Their collective presence points to a coordinated effort to ensnare Jesus.
• "brought" (ἤγαγον - ēgagon): The aorist verb indicates a decisive and purposeful action. They did not stumble upon her; they actively led and presented her. This highlights their calculated intention behind the act.
• "a woman" (γυναῖκα - gunaika): Simple and direct, yet the singular noun indicates the lone object of their public accusation. Her gender highlights the societal double standard of the time, where the male accomplice was conspicuously absent despite the Mosaic Law punishing both parties in adultery.
• "who had been caught" (κατειλημμένην - kateilēmmenēn): A perfect passive participle, indicating a completed action with continuing results. She was seized in the act, and this state persists. The verb itself means "to lay hold of, seize, apprehend." It emphatically asserts the undeniable nature of her perceived guilt in their eyes, claiming proof positive.
• "in adultery" (ἐν μοιχείᾳ - en moicheia): This specific legal and moral transgression, as defined by Mosaic Law, explicitly carried the death penalty (Lev 20:10). The phrase pinpointed the severity of her alleged crime, giving the religious leaders what they believed was a clear case against her and a trap for Jesus.
• "and placing her" (στήσαντες - stēsantes): This aorist active participle of "to make stand" or "to set up" denotes a deliberate and highly visible action. They literally set her on display. It was a calculated staging for maximum public effect, transforming her into a focal point.
• "in the midst" (ἐν μέσῳ - en mesō): This refers to the center of the crowd gathered around Jesus in the Temple courts. It was a strategic positioning to publicly humiliate the woman, create a spectacle, and exert immediate pressure on Jesus for a response that would expose Him or discredit Him before many witnesses.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The scribes and the Pharisees brought": This phrase underlines the joint, institutional, and hostile nature of the accusers. It suggests a collaborative effort driven by malice, not merely upholding the Law, but utilizing a specific case as a legalistic weapon against Jesus. It foreshadows the intentional testing.
• "a woman who had been caught in adultery": This group of words sets the exact legal predicate for their challenge. The assertion of her being "caught" in the very act establishes what they considered irrefutable evidence. However, the lack of the male accomplice in the same "caught" scenario points to a glaring inequity and reveals their selective application of the law based on ulterior motives.
• "and placing her in the midst": This active and very visual act signifies the public nature of the confrontation. It reveals their intent to humiliate, pressure, and confront Jesus openly, making her shame a tool in their agenda. It demonstrates their strategy to force Jesus into a public verdict where He would either compromise the Law or contradict Roman authority.

John 8 3 Bonus section

• The narrative found in John 7:53-8:11, commonly known as the pericope adulterae (the passage about the adulteress), holds a unique position in the New Testament. Its absence from many of the earliest and most reliable Greek manuscripts has led to scholarly debate regarding its original canonical placement, though not necessarily its historical authenticity or theological truth. The overwhelming consensus within Christianity, however, affirms its message as consistent with Jesus' character and teachings found elsewhere in the Gospels—demonstrating His wisdom, compassion, and challenges to religious hypocrisy.
• The trap set for Jesus was deeply sophisticated: if He commanded the woman to be stoned, He would violate Roman law, which reserved capital punishment to the Roman governor (Jn 18:31). This could be interpreted as incitement to rebellion. If He advised against stoning, He would seemingly contradict and invalidate Mosaic Law (Deut 22:22), thus appearing as a false teacher and enabling them to accuse Him religiously. Jesus' response, however, cleverly transcends both legal dilemmas, focusing on the spiritual truth about sin and human fallibility.

John 8 3 Commentary

John 8:3 introduces the confrontational heart of a pivotal encounter between Jesus and His religious adversaries. The scribes and Pharisees, representatives of Jewish religious authority, presented a woman publicly accused of a capital crime under Mosaic Law: adultery. This scene was meticulously orchestrated, not primarily to enact justice, but as a carefully constructed legal and theological snare for Jesus. Their public humiliation of the woman, by placing her "in the midst," was a calculated act to amplify pressure on Him. The glaring omission of the man equally involved in the adultery, despite the Mosaic Law's dictate for both to be punished, exposed their inherent hypocrisy and selective application of justice, highlighting that their true objective was not moral righteousness, but a political and religious trap for Jesus. This verse encapsulates their relentless efforts to discredit Jesus by exploiting perceived tensions between Mosaic Law, Roman jurisdiction, and Jesus' compassionate teachings. It powerfully sets the stage for Jesus' unparalleled wisdom and grace.

Examples:

• Similar to those who point out others' sins with self-righteous condemnation rather than genuine concern or a spirit of restoration (Gal 6:1).
• A reminder that often, external displays of religiosity can mask internal motives of control or a desire to discredit those who threaten a preferred worldview.