John 8 7

John 8:7 kjv

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

John 8:7 nkjv

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

John 8:7 niv

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

John 8:7 esv

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

John 8:7 nlt

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"

John 8 verses

John 8 7 Meaning

John 8:7 reveals Jesus' profound challenge to human hypocrisy and judgmentalism. By inviting the one "without sin" among them to cast the first stone, Jesus disarms His accusers, forces them into self-reflection, and implicitly asserts the universal truth of human sinfulness, making all unfit to administer such ultimate judgment. It underscores His divine wisdom in upholding righteousness while demonstrating mercy.

John 8 7 Context

This verse is part of the account often known as "The Pericope Adulterae" (John 7:53–8:11). The setting is the Temple area in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. Early in the morning, Jesus was teaching, and scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery. Their motive was not genuine justice, but to trap Jesus. If He sanctioned stoning, He would infringe on Roman authority, as the Jewish leaders under Roman occupation lacked the legal right to execute someone. If He forbade stoning, He would appear to contradict the Law of Moses (Deut 22:22). They presented her as a test, "What do You say?" (John 8:5). Jesus' initial response was to stoop down and write on the ground. When they relentlessly persisted in asking Him, He finally straightened up and delivered this profound challenge.

John 8 7 Word analysis

• "So when they continued asking Him" (καὶ ὡς ἐπείχοντο ἐρωτῶντες - kai hōs epeíchonto erōtōntes):

  • Epeíchonto (imperfect verb, derived from ἐπέχω - epecho) indicates a continuous and persistent, even insistent, action. They were pressing Him, refusing to back down, eager for His response, which they believed would incriminate Him.
  • Erōtōntes (present participle from ἐρωτάω - erōtao) means "asking" or "interrogating."
  • Significance: This emphasizes the accusers' stubbornness and their malicious intent, demonstrating they were not seeking truth but an opportunity to ensnare Jesus.

• "He straightened up" (ἀνέκυψεν - anekypsen):

  • Anakyptō means to lift oneself up, to stand erect. Jesus, who had been stooping and writing on the ground, now adopts a posture of authority and direct engagement.
  • Significance: This physical action is symbolic. It signifies Jesus shifting from a meditative or patient posture to one of direct confrontation and sovereign pronouncement. It implies a change in dynamic, where He now takes control of the situation.

• "and said to them" (εἶπεν αὐτοῖς - eípen autoîs):

  • Direct and clear communication, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
  • Significance: An authoritative declaration is about to follow, aimed precisely at His interrogators.

• "He who is without sin" (ὁ ἀναμάρτητος ὑμῶν - ho anamártētos hymōn):

  • Anamartētos (ἀναμάρτητος) is a Greek adjective meaning 'blameless,' 'faultless,' or 'sinless.' It refers to being without fault, not merely an occasional lapse, but a fundamental purity in character or life that would qualify one to cast judgment leading to capital punishment. It demands moral perfection.
  • Hymōn (ὑμῶν) means "of you" or "among you," making the challenge deeply personal and specific to the accusing crowd.
  • Significance: This term sets an impossible standard for any human being, immediately indicting all present (except Jesus Himself) of being unfit to judge with such ultimate finality. It confronts the core of their self-righteousness.

• "let him be the first" (πρῶτος βαλέτω - prōtos baletō):

  • Prōtos (πρῶτος) means 'first,' denoting precedence. In this context, it is not merely about who begins the stoning, but about who possesses the moral authority to initiate such a weighty act of judgment and execution. Under Mosaic Law, witnesses cast the first stone (Deut 17:7), taking on the responsibility for the judgment.
  • Baletō (βαλέτω) is an imperative form of βάλλω (ballō), meaning 'to throw' or 'cast.'
  • Significance: Jesus is calling for the moral leader of the accusers—the most righteous among them—to step forward and claim the right to initiate this deadly punishment. By implying that this "first" person must be "without sin," He amplifies the unmeetable demand.

• "to throw a stone at her" (λίθον ἐπ’ αὐτὴν - líthon ep’ autḕn):

  • Lithos (λίθον) refers to 'a stone.' This explicitly refers to the method of capital punishment prescribed by Mosaic Law for adultery.
  • Ep’ autēn (ἐπ’ αὐτὴν) means 'at her' or 'upon her.'
  • Significance: This directs the impossible challenge to the exact prescribed legal action, forcing the accusers to confront the spiritual implication of their physical act of judgment according to the Law. It evokes the finality and gravity of their demand for execution.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "So when they continued asking Him, He straightened up and said to them": This phrase highlights Jesus' deliberate timing and method. He waited for their persistence, perhaps giving them time for reflection or to reveal their full malicious intent, before turning the moral tables on them with a calculated and authoritative response. His change of posture emphasizes the weight and directness of what He was about to say.
  • "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first": This pivotal conditional clause sets an unachievable moral precondition for engaging in judgment. It shifts the focus from the accused woman to the moral standing of the accusers themselves. Jesus is demanding absolute purity of the accuser before they dare execute divine law. This directly attacks their self-righteous pretense.

John 8 7 Bonus section

• Textual Status: While the passage John 7:53–8:11, known as the Pericope Adulterae, is not found in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts of John's Gospel, it has been widely accepted within the canon of Scripture and taught by the Church for centuries. Its theological truth and consistency with the character and teachings of Jesus in other Gospel narratives are indisputable.
• Jesus' Authority to Judge: It is ironic that the accusers were asking Jesus to make a judgment, yet He is the only one truly qualified to judge humanity without partiality or sin (John 5:22; John 9:39). His response, therefore, subtly highlights His supreme moral authority while deferring execution to reveal their own moral failings.
• The Power of Conscience: Jesus' simple yet profound statement activates the consciences of the accusers. Their departure "one by one, beginning with the oldest" indicates that His words resonated most deeply with those who had lived longer and presumably accumulated more self-knowledge of their own imperfections. This illustrates the divine power of conviction, leading to self-reflection rather than punitive action.

John 8 7 Commentary

John 8:7 represents Jesus' brilliant and incisive response to a legal and theological trap. The accusers, feigning adherence to the Law, were driven by malice to discredit Jesus. Jesus neither denies the Law nor contradicts Roman authority directly. Instead, He uses divine wisdom to expose the inherent hypocrisy of His accusers by demanding a moral purity they demonstrably lacked. His challenge of "He who is without sin" shifts the gaze from the woman's public sin to the accusers' unconfessed or hidden sins. The silence and eventual departure of the men, beginning with the oldest (John 8:9), testify to the penetrating power of His words which convicted their consciences. Jesus' statement ultimately re-prioritizes mercy over legalistic condemnation when wielded by imperfect humans, while affirming that true judgment belongs only to the sinless one—Jesus Himself, who paradoxically chose not to condemn the woman (John 8:11). This verse remains a timeless call for self-examination and compassionate restraint before we assume the role of judge over others.

Examples:

• A community member, quick to highlight a neighbor's public failing, may overlook their own private misdeeds.
• An individual zealous in condemning particular sins might struggle with unacknowledged pride or covetousness.