The Meaning of John 8:11 Explained

John 8:11

KJV: She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

YLT: and she said, 'No one, Sir;' and Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I pass sentence on thee; be going on, and no more sin.'

Darby: And she said, No one, sir. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

ASV: And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<1161> She said,  No man,  Lord.  And  Jesus  said  unto her,  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee:  go,  and  sin  no more. 

What does John 8:11 Mean?

Context Summary

John 8:1-11 - The Accusers Self-Condemned
This passage has been the subject of much controversy, but there is no possibility of accounting for it except on the supposition that this incident really took place. It reveals in our Lord's character such tenderness, wisdom, hatred of sin, and insight into the heart of man, that it is impossible to suppose that any evangelist could have invented the story.
The sinner's way of treating sin is to regard it as "a case" for curious speculation, and an opportunity for contrasting with it the immaculate virtue of the accusers. They take prurient pleasure in enumerating the terrible details, but give no sign of pity or shame for the sinner. The Law's way of treating sin is to stone. The executioner shows no mercy. The offender falls beneath the Law's curse and penalty. The Savior's way of treating sin is to forgive. In that bowed head and hidden face, John 8:10, we learn how much sin costs Him. But it is easy to hear His words of forgiveness, and to go forth from His presence with the assurance that "there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;" but we shall never know how much sin has cost Him, whom it crucifies afresh. That silent, averted gaze has made men bow their heads and beat upon their breasts. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 8

1  Jesus delivers the woman taken in adultery
12  He declares himself the light of the world, and justifies his doctrine;
31  promises freedom to those who believe;
33  answers the Jews who boasted of Abraham;
48  answers their reviling, by showing his authority and dignity;
59  and slips away from those who would stone him

Greek Commentary for John 8:11

No man, Lord [Ουδεισ Κυριε]
“No one, Sir.” She makes no excuse for her sin. Does she recognize Jesus as “Lord”? Neither do I condemn thee (απο του νυν μηκετι αμαρτανε — Oude egō se katakrinō). Jesus does not condone her sin. See John 8:15 for “I do not judge (condemn) any one.” But he does give the poor woman another chance. Henceforth sin no more (apo tou nun mēketi hamartane). See also John 5:14 where this same language is used to the impotent man. It literally means (prohibition with present active imperative): “Henceforth no longer go on sinning.” One can only hope that the woman was really changed in heart and life. Jesus clearly felt that even a wicked woman can be saved. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 8:11

John 5:14 Findeth him [ευρισκει αυτον]
Dramatic present as in John 1:45, possibly after search as in John 9:35. Sin no more “No longer go on sinning.” Present active imperative with μηκετι — mēketi a clear implication that disease was due to personal sin as is so often the case. Jesus used the same words to the woman taken in adultery in the spurious passage (John 8:11). He had suffered for 38 years. All sickness is not due to personal sin (John 9:3), but much is and nature is a hard paymaster. Jesus is here living up to his name (Matthew 1:21). Lest a worse thing befall thee Negative final clause with second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai Χειρον — Cheiron is comparative of κακος — kakos bad. Worse than the illness of 38 years, bad as that is. He will now be sinning against knowledge. [source]
John 8:12 Again therefore [παλιν ουν]
This language fits in better with John 7:52 than with John 8:11. Just suppose Jesus is in the temple on the following day. Unto them The Pharisees and crowds in the temple after the feast was past. I am the light of the world Jesus had called his followers “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14), but that was light reflected from him. Already Jesus (the Logos) had been called the true light of men (John 1:9; John 3:19). The Psalmist calls God his Light (Psalm 27:1). So Isaiah 60:19. At the feast of tabernacles in the Court of the Women where Jesus was on this day (John 8:20) there were brilliant candelabra and there was the memory of the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. But with all this background this supreme and exclusive claim of Jesus (repeated in John 9:5) to being the light of the whole world (of Gentiles as well as of Jews) startled the Pharisees and challenged their opposition. Shall have the light of life The light which springs from and issues in life (Westcott). Cf. John 6:33, John 6:51 about Jesus being the Bread of Life. In this sublime claim we come to a decisive place. It will not do to praise Jesus and deny his deity. Only as the Son of God can we justify and accept this language which otherwise is mere conceit and froth. [source]

What do the individual words in John 8:11 mean?

- And she said No one Sir Said then to her - Jesus Neither I you do condemn go and from - now [on] no more sin
δὲ εἶπεν Οὐδείς κύριε Εἶπεν δὲ 〈αὐτῇ〉 Ἰησοῦς Οὐδὲ ἐγώ σε κατακρίνω πορεύου καὶ [ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν] μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
εἶπεν  she  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Οὐδείς  No  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
κύριε  Sir 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
Εἶπεν  Said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
〈αὐτῇ〉  to  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Οὐδὲ  Neither 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐδέ  
Sense: but not, neither, nor, not even.
κατακρίνω  do  condemn 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: κατακρίνω  
Sense: to give judgment against, to judge worthy of punishment.
πορεύου  go 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Middle or Passive, 2nd Person Singular
Root: πορεύομαι  
Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
νῦν]  now  [on] 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
μηκέτι  no  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μηκέτι  
Sense: no longer, no more, not hereafter.
ἁμάρτανε  sin 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἁμαρτάνω  
Sense: to be without a share in.