And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst — the authorities arrive with a woman they claim was 'caught in adultery,' placing her publicly in the temple's center. The phrase 'taken in adultery' (kataleiphthē en moicheia, caught in the very act) establishes the alleged offense, which would fall under the Law's jurisdiction. The woman is set in the midst like a specimen, exposed and vulnerable. The scene is theatrical, designed to trap Jesus: any response will create a problem.

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