People Want to Punish a Woman Who Sinned
“Go, and sin no more”
Early one morning, Jesus Christ went to the temple in Jerusalem. Many people gathered around Him to hear Him teach.
As Jesus taught, some Jewish leaders brought a woman to Jesus. She had been caught breaking one of God’s commandments. According to the law, the woman was supposed to be put to death by people throwing stones at her.
The men asked Jesus what should happen to her. They were trying to trick Jesus. They knew that He would not want the woman to be hurt. But if Jesus said the woman should not be punished, then they could say that He was not obeying the law.
But Jesus did not answer them. He bent down on the ground and wrote in the dirt. The men asked Him again what they should do.
Finally, Jesus stood and looked around at the men. He said that if any of them had never sinned, he could be the first one to throw a stone at her.
Then Jesus bent down again and continued writing in the dirt. All the men knew that they had sins too. One by one, they walked away.
Jesus looked around and saw only the woman standing there. He asked her where all the people who wanted to punish her had gone. She told Him they all had left. Jesus said to the woman, “Go, and sin no more.” From that time on, the woman believed in Jesus.
John 8:9–11; see Joseph Smith Translation in note 11c