Then Jesus “lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.” The accusers saw that Jesus not only knew the secrets of their past sins, but was acquainted with their purpose in bringing this case before him, and had in his matchless wisdom defeated their deeply laid scheme. They now became fearful lest Jesus would expose their guilt to all present, and they therefore “being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” {2SP 350.2}

Da rejste Jesus sig op og sagde til dem: "Den af jer, der er syndfri, lad ham (351) være den første, der kaster sten på hende!" Så bøjede han sig igen ned og skrev på jorden." (Joh 8,7.8) Anklagerne så, at Jesus ikke blot kendte deres forbi gangne hemmelige synder, men at han også vidste, i hvilken hensigt de bragte denne sag til ham, og at han i sin underfulde visdom havde omstyrtet deres hemmelige planer. De frygtede nu for, at Jesus skulle åbenbare deres synder for alle, som var til stede, og da de "hørte det gik de bort, den ene efter den anden, de ældste først; og han blev alene tilbage med kvinden, som stod der i midten."