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Pericope Adulterae

QUESTION: Pericope Adulterae - John 7:53-8:11

ANSWER: Three scriptures addressed by Ehrman, in the book Misquoting Jesus (Mark 16:9–20; John 7:53–8:11; and 1 John 5:7–8) have been considered inauthentic by most New Testament textual scholars for over a hundred years.

John 7:53-8:11 – The “Pericope Adulterae”
    Then each went to his own home. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 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. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. “Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Again, no new issues here. Most scholars agree this text was later added by another writer/scribe. Here’s the current note in the NIV that precedes the text: “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11.”

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What do you think?
We have all sinned and deserve God’s judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.

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