The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
Parallel translations
- WEB Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?”
- KJV Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
- BSB In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”
- NKJV Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
- NASB Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They cite Moses' command to stone such women and ask what Jesus says. They set a trap between upholding the law and showing mercy.
Overview
By invoking the Mosaic penalty, the leaders try to force Jesus either to contradict the law or to abandon His reputation for compassion. The dilemma is designed to discredit Him whichever way He answers. Jesus' coming response will uphold both the seriousness of sin and the offer of mercy, exposing the accusers' own guilt.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Lev 20:10“‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
- Deut 22:21–24then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
- Ezek 16:38–40I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.
- Matt 5:17“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
- Matt 19:6–8So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”
- Matt 22:16–18They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.
- Ezek 23:47The company will stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. They will kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 8:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.