John 8:7-11
7They 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!” 8Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11“No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” <a class="
John 8:7-11 · NLT · read the whole chapter ↗
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Context
religious leaders dragged a woman caught in adultery in front of Jesus. they wanted to trap him into either breaking the law or looking harsh.
Jesus bends down and writes in the dirt. then he says whoever has never sinned can throw the first stone.
one by one, starting with the oldest, they walk away. Jesus does not condemn her, and he tells her to leave her life of sin.
What it means
shame says your worst moment defines you. Jesus meets people in their worst moments with mercy and gives them a fresh start.
did you know? no one knows for sure what Jesus wrote in the dirt. people have guessed for centuries.
Think about it
is there something from your past you keep replaying?
Try this
read Romans 8:1 out loud this week whenever an old mistake comes to mind.
pray: Jesus, thank you that you do not condemn me. help me walk in the new life you give.
talk about it: how can we give grace to someone the way Jesus did here?