But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.
Now Heaven and Hell grapple at our backs, and all our old pretense is ripped away- make your peace
Elizabeth gets arrested
I cannot, I cannot
John Confessing
I have known her, sir. I have known her.
John and Abby meet and we see that she is desperately in love with John Proctor and wants to be with him. John is shown to have some sympathy for her. The text evidence shows how he wants to forget that the affair ever happened. He says that he will cut off his hand before he ever gets back with her and he says nothing happened.
When Elizabeth gets arrested John will do anything to get her back. He decides that he will tell the truth about his affair with Abby. He no longer thinks of her softly as he once did he now wants to expose her for the fraud she is and save Elizabeth with the help of Mary Warren. In the text evidence, he's saying that all fake and untrue things will be stripped away, leaving only the truth.
In the court, John Proctor confesses to his affair with Abby. His goal from the beginning has changed from wanting to keep the affair a secret and maintain his good name he confesses in order to try to save his wife Elizabeth and expose Abby's true purpose.