John 8:6

John 8:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
• New International Version (NIV)They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

Context of John 8:6

4and asked Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the act of adultery. 5In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?” They asked this to test him. They wanted to find a reason to bring charges against him. Jesus bent down and used his finger to write on the ground. 7When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, “The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground.

John 8:6 word by word

τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγον πειράζοντες αὐτόν, ἵνα ἔχωσιν κατηγορεῖν αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς κάτω κύψας τῷ δακτύλῳ εἰς τὴν γῆν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• they saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• temptingπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they might haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• to accuseκατηγορέωkatēgoreō · to accuseG2723
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• stoopedκύπτωkuptō · to stoop/bend downG2955
• downκάτωkatō katōterō · underG2736
• and withδάκτυλοςdaktulos · fingerG1147
• wroteγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• onεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the groundγῆgē · earth: soilG1093

Cross-references for John 8:6

• Numbers 14:22none of the people who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I did in Egypt and in the desert will see the land which I promised their ancestors. They have tested me now ten times and refused to obey me.
• Matthew 19:3Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Can a man divorce his wife for any reason?”
• Luke 10:25Then an expert in Moses’ Teachings stood up to test Jesus. He asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
• Luke 11:53When Jesus left, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees held a terrible grudge against him. They questioned him about many things
• Luke 20:20So they watched for an opportunity to send out some spies. The spies were to act like sincere religious people. They wanted to catch him saying the wrong thing so that they could hand him over to the governor.
• 1 Corinthians 10:9We shouldn’t put the Lord to the test as some of them did. They were killed by snakes.
• John 8:2Early the next morning he returned to the temple courtyard. All the people went to him, so he sat down and began to teach them.
• Genesis 49:9Judah, you are a lion cub. You have come back from the kill, my son. He lies down and rests like a lion. He is like a lioness. Who dares to disturb him?
• Jeremiah 17:13O Lord, the Hope of Israel, all who abandon you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in dust, because they abandon the Lord, the fountain of life-giving water.
• Daniel 5:5Suddenly, the fingers of a person’s hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote.
• Psalms 38:12Those who seek my life lay traps for me. Those who are out to harm me talk about ruining me. All day long they think of ways to deceive me.
• Psalms 39:1I said, “I will watch my ways so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will bridle my mouth while wicked people are in my presence.”
• Proverbs 26:17⌞Like⌟ grabbing a dog by the ears, ⌞so⌟ is a bystander who gets involved in someone else’s quarrel.
• Ecclesiastes 3:7a time to tear apart and a time to sew together, a time to keep quiet and a time to speak out,
• Amos 5:10Israel, you hate anyone who speaks out against injustice. You are disgusted by anyone who speaks the truth.
• Matthew 10:16“I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves.

Commentaries on John 8:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6That they might have to accuse him - Had our Lord condemned the woman to death, they might have accused him to Pilate, as arrogating to himself the power of life and death, which the Romans had taken away from the Jews; besides, the Roman laws did not condemn an adulteress to be put to death. On the other hand, if he had said she should not be put to death, they might have represented him to the people as one who decided contrary to the law, and favored…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Tempting him - Trying him, or laying a plan that they might have occasion to accuse him. If he decided the case, they expected to be able to bring an accusation against him; for if he decided that she ought to die, they might accuse him of claiming power which belonged to the Romans - the power of life and death. They might allege that it was not the giving an opinion about an abstract case, but that she was formally before him, that he decided her case…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6We cannot know what Jesus wrote in the dust. Some scholars suggest he wrote down the sins of those who were accusing the woman.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. scribes and Pharisees--foiled in their yesterday's attempt, and hoping to succeed better in this.Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:6

• Adultery
• Hypocrisy
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Act
• Adultery
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury

Commentaries on John 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings