John 8 · Verse 3

John 8:3

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
John 8:3, King James Version

John 8:3 in other translations

BSBThe scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them
WEBThe scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle,
ASVAnd the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery; and having set her in the midst,
YLTand the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman having been taken in adultery, and having set her in the midst,
DARBYAnd the scribes and the Pharisees bring to him a woman taken in adultery, and having set her in the midst,
BBENow the scribes and Pharisees came, with a woman who had been taken in the act of sinning against the married relation;
WebsterAnd the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman taken in adultery: and when they had set her in the midst,

What does John 8:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 8:3-6
3-6. scribes and Pharisees--foiled in their yesterday's attempt, and hoping to succeed better in this.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 A woman taken in adultery - Some of the popish writers say that her name was Susanna; that she was espoused to an old decrepid man, named Manasseh; that she died a saint in Spain, whither she had followed St. James. These accounts the judicious Calmet properly terms fables. It is allowed that adultery was exceedingly common at this time, so common that they had ceased to put the law in force against it. The waters of jealousy were no longer drunk, the culprits or those suspected of this crime, being so very numerous; and the men who were guilty themselves dared not try their suspected wives, as it was believed the waters would have no evil effect upon the wife, if the husband himself had been criminal. See the whole of the process on the waters of jealousy in the notes on Num 5:14 (note), etc.; and see at the end of chap. 18 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 8:1-11

Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the prisoner's guilt; nor did he countenance the pretended zeal of the Pharisees. Those are self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves pure. In this matter Christ attended to the great work about which he came into the…

Read the full comment on John 8:1-11 →

John 8:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἄγουσινagousinBringG71
δὲdenowG1161
οἱhoitheG3588
γραμματεῖςgrammateisscribesG1122
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisaioiPhariseesG5330
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
γυναῖκαgunaikaa womanG1135
ἐνeninG1722
μοιχείᾳmoicheiaadulteryG3430
κατειλημμένηνkateilēmmenēnhaving been graspedG2638
καὶkaiandG2532
στήσαντεςstēsanteshaving setG2476
αὐτὴνautēnherG846
ἐνeninG1722
μέσῳmesō[the] midstG3319

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Context

  • John 8:2

    And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

  • John 8:3

    And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

  • John 8:4

    They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Read all of John 8

John 8:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces los escribas y los Fariseos le traen una mujer tomada en adulterio; y poniéndola en medio,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les scribes et les pharisiens lui amènent une femme surprise en adultère; et l’ayant placée devant lui,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Schriftgelehrten und die Pharisäer aber bringen ein Weib zu ihm,im Ehebruch ergriffen, und stellen sie in die Mitte
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Adducunt autem scribæ et pharisæi mulierem in adulterio deprehensam: et statuerunt eam in medio,