A Second Chance

⁵³ They each went to their own homes,

¹ And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them. ³ The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group, ⁴ they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. ⁵ In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?” ⁶ They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. ⁷ They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” ⁸ Bending down again, he wrote on the ground. ⁹ Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd. ¹⁰ Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, sir.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.”