Bible Strands
John 8:7
When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the scribes and Pharisees who persist in questioning Him after He bent down to write on the ground. He halts their interrogation by issuing a conditional command to the accusing crowd regarding the stoning of the woman.
The words — ἀνακύψας (anakupsas) translates literally as “having stood up,” marking His physical shift from writing to speaking. εἶπεν (eipen) records His direct verbal response to their persistent questioning.
The thread — The text’s prohibition against hypocritical judgment runs parallel to Matthew 7:1 and Romans 2:1, both of which declare that those who judge others will face the same standard. Romans 2:21 extends this pattern by challenging those who preach against sins they themselves practice.
Why it lands — The verse requires any accuser to verify their own sinlessness before initiating execution. It transfers the burden of proof from the accused woman to the moral consistency of the accusers.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Cross-references
- Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you will be judged.
- Romans 2:21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
- Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
- Deuteronomy 17:6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
- Matthew 23:25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
- Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Psalms 50:16 To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
- Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
- Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.