1Chapter
Prologue
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
14The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) 16Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, 17for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side —he has revealed him.
6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
14The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) 16Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, 17for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side —he has revealed him.
John the Baptist’s Testimony
19This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
20He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”
21“What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered.
22“Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”
23He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord —just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26“I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
20He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”
21“What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered.
22“Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”
23He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord —just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26“I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
35The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39“Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter” ).
35The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39“Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter” ).
Philip and Nathanael
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.”
44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets ): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
46“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.
47Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.
49“Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!”
50Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets ): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
46“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.
47Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.
49“Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!”
50Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
2Chapter
The First Sign: Turning Water into Wine
1On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. 3When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.”
4“What has this concern of yours to do with me, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”
5“Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.
6Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons.
7“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. 8Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.
9When the headwaiter tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”
11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
12After this, he went down to Capernaum, together with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.
4“What has this concern of yours to do with me, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”
5“Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.
6Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons.
7“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. 8Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.
9When the headwaiter tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”
11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
12After this, he went down to Capernaum, together with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.
Cleansing the Temple
13The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. 15After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. 16He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
17And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.
18So the Jews replied to him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?”
19Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”
20Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?”
21But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.
23While he was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. 24Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all 25and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.
17And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.
18So the Jews replied to him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?”
19Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”
20Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?”
21But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.
23While he was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. 24Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all 25and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.
3Chapter
Jesus and Nicodemus
1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”
3Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4“How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.
10“Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11“Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.
14“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
3Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4“How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.
10“Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11“Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.
14“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
Jesus and John the Baptist
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized.
23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.”
27John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.”
23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.”
27John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The One from Heaven
31The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, and yet no one accepts his testimony. 33The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true. 34For the one whom God sent speaks God’s words, since he gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hands. 36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.
4Chapter
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
1When Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard he was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), 3he left Judea and went again to Galilee. 4He had to travel through Samaria; 5so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon.
7A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8because his disciples had gone into town to buy food.
9“How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”
11“Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”
13Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
15“Sir,” the woman said to him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”
16“Go call your husband,” he told her, “and come back here.”
17“I don’t have a husband,” she answered. “You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus said. 18“For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
19“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. 20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
21Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
25The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”
7A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8because his disciples had gone into town to buy food.
9“How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”
11“Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”
13Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
15“Sir,” the woman said to him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”
16“Go call your husband,” he told her, “and come back here.”
17“I don’t have a husband,” she answered. “You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus said. 18“For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
19“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. 20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
21Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
25The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”
The Ripened Harvest
27Just then his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the people, 29“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30They left the town and made their way to him.
31In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32But he said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”
33The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
34“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them. 35“Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest. 36The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from their labor.”
28Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the people, 29“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30They left the town and made their way to him.
31In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32But he said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”
33The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
34“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them. 35“Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest. 36The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from their labor.”
The Savior of the World
39Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41Many more believed because of what he said. 42And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”
A Galilean Welcome
43After two days he left there for Galilee. 44(Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. ) 45When they entered Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him because they had seen everything he did in Jerusalem during the festival. For they also had gone to the festival.
The Second Sign: Healing an Official’s Son
46He went again to Cana of Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a certain royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum. 47When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to him and pleaded with him to come down and heal his son, since he was about to die.
48Jesus told him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
49“Sir,” the official said to him, “come down before my boy dies.”
50“Go,” Jesus told him, “your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and departed.
51While he was still going down, his servants met him saying that his boy was alive. 52He asked them at what time he got better. “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him,” they answered. 53The father realized this was the very hour at which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household.
54Now this was also the second sign Jesus performed after he came from Judea to Galilee.
48Jesus told him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
49“Sir,” the official said to him, “come down before my boy dies.”
50“Go,” Jesus told him, “your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and departed.
51While he was still going down, his servants met him saying that his boy was alive. 52He asked them at what time he got better. “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him,” they answered. 53The father realized this was the very hour at which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household.
54Now this was also the second sign Jesus performed after he came from Judea to Galilee.
5Chapter
The Third Sign: Healing the Sick
1After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five colonnades. 3Within these lay a large number of the disabled—blind, lame, and paralyzed.
5One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to get well?”
7“Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”
8“Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” 9Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath, 10and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.”
11He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12“Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. 13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” 15The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
5One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to get well?”
7“Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”
8“Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” 9Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath, 10and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.”
11He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12“Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. 13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” 15The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
Honoring the Father and the Son
17Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.” 18This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill him: Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.
19Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed. 21And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants. 22The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
19Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed. 21And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants. 22The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Life and Judgment
24“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
25“Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. 27And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice 29and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30“I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
25“Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. 27And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice 29and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30“I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
Witnesses to Jesus
31“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32There is another who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony he gives about me is true. 33You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. 34I don’t receive human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35John was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
36“But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given me to accomplish. These very works I am doing testify about me that the Father has sent me. 37The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen his form. 38You don’t have his word residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent. 39You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. 40But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.
41“I do not accept glory from people, 42but I know you—that you have no love for God within you. 43I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”
36“But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given me to accomplish. These very works I am doing testify about me that the Father has sent me. 37The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen his form. 38You don’t have his word residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent. 39You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. 40But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.
41“I do not accept glory from people, 42but I know you—that you have no love for God within you. 43I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”
6Chapter
The Fourth Sign: Feeding of the Five Thousand
1After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias ). 2A huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. 3Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples.
4Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” 6He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.”
8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?”
10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.
12When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.
14When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
4Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” 6He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.”
8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?”
10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.
12When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.
14When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
The Fifth Sign: Walking on Water
16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them. 18A high wind arose, and the sea began to churn. 19After they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid. 20But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 21Then they were willing to take him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading.
The Bread of Life
22The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat. They also saw that Jesus had not boarded the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone. 23Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”
28“What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.
29Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”
30“What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
32Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again. 36But as I told you, you’ve seen me, and yet you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me— 46not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father.
47“Truly I tell you, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, 55because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”
59He said these things while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
26Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”
28“What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.
29Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”
30“What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
32Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again. 36But as I told you, you’ve seen me, and yet you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me— 46not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father.
47“Truly I tell you, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, 55because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”
59He said these things while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?”
61Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not believe and the one who would betray him.) 65He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father.”
66From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”
68Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” 71He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray him.
61Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not believe and the one who would betray him.) 65He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father.”
66From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”
68Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” 71He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray him.
7Chapter
The Unbelief of Jesus’s Brothers
1After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since he did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2The Jewish Festival of Shelters was near. 3So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works that you are doing. 4For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5(For not even his brothers believed in him.)
6Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. 8Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.
6Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. 8Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.
Jesus at the Festival of Shelters
10After his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but secretly. 11The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” 12And there was a lot of murmuring about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He’s a good man.” Others were saying, “No, on the contrary, he’s deceiving the people.” 13Still, nobody was talking publicly about him for fear of the Jews.
14When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned, since he hasn’t been trained?”
16Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me. 17If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18The one who speaks on his own seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19Didn’t Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
20“You have a demon!” the crowd responded. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21“I performed one work, and you are all amazed,” Jesus answered. 22“This is why Moses has given you circumcision —not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers —and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses won’t be broken, are you angry at me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath? 24Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
14When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned, since he hasn’t been trained?”
16Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me. 17If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18The one who speaks on his own seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19Didn’t Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
20“You have a demon!” the crowd responded. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21“I performed one work, and you are all amazed,” Jesus answered. 22“This is why Moses has given you circumcision —not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers —and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses won’t be broken, are you angry at me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath? 24Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
The Identity of the Messiah
25Some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26Yet, look, he’s speaking publicly and they’re saying nothing to him. Can it be true that the authorities know he is the Messiah? 27But we know where this man is from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he is from.”
28As he was teaching in the temple, Jesus cried out, “You know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the one who sent me is true. You don’t know him; 29I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”
30Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31However, many from the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done, will he?” 32The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent servants to arrest him.
33Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the one who sent me. 34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
35Then the Jews said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does he? 36What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’ ?”
28As he was teaching in the temple, Jesus cried out, “You know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the one who sent me is true. You don’t know him; 29I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”
30Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31However, many from the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done, will he?” 32The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent servants to arrest him.
33Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the one who sent me. 34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
35Then the Jews said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does he? 36What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’ ?”
The Promise of the Spirit
37On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” 39He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The People Are Divided over Jesus
40When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, “This truly is the Prophet.” 41Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “Surely the Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 42Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David’s offspring and from the town of Bethlehem, where David lived?” 43So the crowd was divided because of him. 44Some of them wanted to seize him, but no one laid hands on him.
Debate over Jesus’s Claims
45Then the servants came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46The servants answered, “No man ever spoke like this!”
47Then the Pharisees responded to them, “Are you fooled too? 48Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? 49But this crowd, which doesn’t know the law, is accursed.”
50Nicodemus —the one who came to him previously and who was one of them—said to them, 51“Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”
52“You aren’t from Galilee too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
53[Then each one went to his house.
46The servants answered, “No man ever spoke like this!”
47Then the Pharisees responded to them, “Are you fooled too? 48Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? 49But this crowd, which doesn’t know the law, is accursed.”
50Nicodemus —the one who came to him previously and who was one of them—said to them, 51“Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”
52“You aren’t from Galilee too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
53[Then each one went to his house.
8Chapter
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
An Adulteress Forgiven
2At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.
3Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4“Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]
3Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4“Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]
The Light of the World
12Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
13So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14“Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15You judge by human standards. I judge no one. 16And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?” “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
13So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14“Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15You judge by human standards. I judge no one. 16And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?” “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.”
22So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’ ?”
23“You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they questioned. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26“I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”
27They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”
22So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’ ?”
23“You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25“Who are you?” they questioned. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26“I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”
27They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”
Truth and Freedom
30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33“We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”
39“Our father is Abraham,” they replied. “If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. 40But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41You’re doing what your father does.” “We weren’t born of sexual immorality,” they said. “We have one Father—God.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. 43Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33“We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”
39“Our father is Abraham,” they replied. “If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. 40But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41You’re doing what your father does.” “We weren’t born of sexual immorality,” they said. “We have one Father—God.”
42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. 43Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Jesus and Abraham
48The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and judges. 51Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
52Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”
54“If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. 55You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?”
58Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”
59So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.
49“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and judges. 51Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
52Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”
54“If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. 55You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?”
58Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”
59So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.
9Chapter
The Sixth Sign: Healing a Man Born Blind
1As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7“Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.”
10So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”
11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.”
12“Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said.
3“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7“Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.”
10So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”
11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.”
12“Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said.
The Healed Man’s Testimony
13They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight.
“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said.
18The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.
19They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20“We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21“But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”
24So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
25He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”
26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27“I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”
28They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.”
30“This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
34“You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said.
18The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.
19They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20“We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21“But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”
24So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
25He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”
26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27“I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”
28They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.”
30“This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
34“You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.
Spiritual Blindness
35Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36“Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked.
37Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38“I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”
40Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”
41“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
36“Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked.
37Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38“I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”
40Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”
41“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
10Chapter
The Good Shepherd
1“Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.
14“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and he’s crazy. Why do you listen to him?” 21Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone who is demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
7Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.
14“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and he’s crazy. Why do you listen to him?” 21Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone who is demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus at the Festival of Dedication
22Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25“I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
25“I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus
31Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone him.
32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”
33“We aren’t stoning you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”
34Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35If he called those to whom the word of God came ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God? 37If I am not doing my Father’s works, don’t believe me. 38But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.” 39Then they were trying again to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”
33“We aren’t stoning you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”
34Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35If he called those to whom the word of God came ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God? 37If I am not doing my Father’s works, don’t believe me. 38But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.” 39Then they were trying again to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
Many beyond the Jordan Believe in Jesus
40So he departed again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there.
11Chapter
Lazarus Dies at Bethany
1Now a man was sick—Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3So the sisters sent a message to him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6So when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was. 7Then after that, he said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.”
8“Rabbi,” the disciples told him, “just now the Jews tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?”
9“Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?” Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.”
11He said this, and then he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.”
12Then the disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.”
13Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought he was speaking about natural sleep. 14So Jesus then told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.”
16Then Thomas (called “Twin” ) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too so that we may die with him.”
4When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6So when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was. 7Then after that, he said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.”
8“Rabbi,” the disciples told him, “just now the Jews tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?”
9“Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?” Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.”
11He said this, and then he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.”
12Then the disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.”
13Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought he was speaking about natural sleep. 14So Jesus then told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.”
16Then Thomas (called “Twin” ) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too so that we may die with him.”
The Resurrection and the Life
17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Bethany was near Jerusalem (less than two miles away). 19Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.
20As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. 26Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
20As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. 26Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
Jesus Shares the Sorrow of Death
28Having said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
29As soon as Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there.
32As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and told him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!”
33When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 34“Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see.”
35Jesus wept.
36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Couldn’t he who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”
29As soon as Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there.
32As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and told him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!”
33When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 34“Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see.”
35Jesus wept.
36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Couldn’t he who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”
The Seventh Sign: Raising Lazarus from the Dead
38Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39“Remove the stone,” Jesus said.
Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.”
40Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
41So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.” 43After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”
40Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
41So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.” 43After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what he did believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and were saying, “What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs? 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” 51He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. 53So from that day on they plotted to kill him.
54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there with the disciples.
55Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it so that they could arrest him.
47So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and were saying, “What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs? 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” 51He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. 53So from that day on they plotted to kill him.
54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there with the disciples.
55Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it so that they could arrest him.
12Chapter
The Anointing at Bethany
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 2So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
7Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. 8For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
4Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
7Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. 8For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
The Decision to Kill Lazarus
9Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead. 10But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, 11because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13they took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord —the King of Israel!”
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:
15Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.
16His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 18This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:
15Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.
16His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 18This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”
Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion
20Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27“Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you. 31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.
34Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.
23Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27“Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you. 31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.
34Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.
Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled
37Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said:
Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:
40He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.
41Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him.
42Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43For they loved human praise more than praise from God.
39This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:
40He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.
41Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him.
42Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43For they loved human praise more than praise from God.
A Summary of Jesus’s Mission
44Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me. 45And the one who sees me sees him who sent me. 46I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48The one who rejects me and doesn’t receive my sayings has this as his judge: The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said. 50I know that his command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”
13Chapter
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. 4So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8“You will never wash my feet,” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10“One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
2Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. 4So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8“You will never wash my feet,” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10“One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
The Meaning of Foot Washing
12When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.
16“Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18“I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. 19I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
16“Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18“I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. 19I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
Judas’s Betrayal Predicted
21When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. 23One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. 25So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”
28None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.
22The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. 23One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. 25So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”
28None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.
The New Command
31When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
34“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
34“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Peter’s Denials Predicted
36“Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”
37“Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.
37“Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.
14Chapter
The Way to the Father
1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4You know the way to where I am going.”
5“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”
6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
5“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”
6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus Reveals the Father
8“Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”
9Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.
9Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.
Praying in Jesus’s Name
12“Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Another Counselor Promised
15“If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
18“I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. 21The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”
22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
25“I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
25“I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
Jesus’s Gift of Peace
27“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful. 28You have heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens so that when it does happen you may believe. 30I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me. 31On the contrary, so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do as the Father commanded me.
“Get up; let’s leave this place.
15Chapter
The Vine and the Branches
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.
Christlike Love
9“As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11“I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
12“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.
17“This is what I command you: Love one another.
11“I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
12“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.
17“This is what I command you: Love one another.
Persecutions Predicted
18“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 20Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they don’t know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.
The Counselor’s Ministry
26“When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father —the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
16Chapter
1“I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. 2They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or me. 4But I have told you these things so that when their time comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.
12“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.
Sorrow Turned to Joy
16“In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”
17Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’ ?” 18They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
23“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
17Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’ ?” 18They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
23“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Jesus the Victor
25“I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
31Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
29His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
31Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
17Chapter
Jesus Prays for Himself
1Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. 3This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent —Jesus Christ. 4I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6“I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.
9“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours. 10Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them. 11I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled. 13Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them. 14I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
9“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours. 10Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them. 11I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled. 13Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them. 14I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.
24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. 25Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. 26I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. 25Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. 26I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
18Chapter
Jesus Betrayed
1After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?”
5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.
7Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8“I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 9This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.”
10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?”
4Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?”
5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.
7Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8“I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 9This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.”
10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?”
Jesus Arrested and Taken to Annas
12Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13First they led him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people.
Peter Denies Jesus
15Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.
17Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not,” he said. 18Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.
17Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not,” he said. 18Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.
Jesus before Annas
19The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”
22When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
23“If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” 24Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”
22When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
23“If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” 24Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Twice More
25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.
26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus before Pilate
28Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
29So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”
30They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
31Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.
33Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”
35“I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
37“You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
38“What is truth?” said Pilate.
29So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”
30They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
31Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.
33Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”
35“I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
37“You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
38“What is truth?” said Pilate.
Jesus or Barabbas
38After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him. 39You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
40They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
40They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
19Chapter
Jesus Flogged and Mocked
1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe. 3And they kept coming up to him and saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” and were slapping his face.
4Pilate went outside again and said to them, “Look, I’m bringing him out to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging him.” 5Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
4Pilate went outside again and said to them, “Look, I’m bringing him out to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging him.” 5Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
Pilate Sentences Jesus to Death
6When the chief priests and the temple servants saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
Pilate responded, “Take him and crucify him yourselves, since I find no grounds for charging him.”
7“We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
8When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. 9He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer. 10So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?”
11“You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
12From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha). 14It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”
15They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?” “We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
16Then he handed him over to be crucified.
7“We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
8When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. 9He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer. 10So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?”
11“You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
12From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha). 14It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”
15They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?” “We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
16Then he handed him over to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
16Then they took Jesus away. 17Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. 19Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the king of the Jews.’”
22Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written.”
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. This is what the soldiers did.
22Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written.”
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. This is what the soldiers did.
Jesus’s Provision for His Mother
25Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
The Finished Work of Jesus
28After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
Jesus’s Side Pierced
31Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. 33When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead. 34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. 35He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. 36For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.
Jesus’s Burial
38After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’s body. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and took his body away. 39Nicodemus (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes. 40They took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. 42They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.
20Chapter
The Empty Tomb
1On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”
3At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. 9For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.
3At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. 9For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
11But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”
14Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. 15“Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”
17“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.
14Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. 15“Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”
17“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.
The Disciples Commissioned
19When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
20Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Thomas Sees and Believes
24But Thomas (called “Twin” ), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”
28Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
26A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”
28Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
The Purpose of This Gospel
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
21Chapter
Jesus’s Third Appearance to the Disciples
1After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way:
2Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin” ), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together.
3“I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5“Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered.
6“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.
9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
12“Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
2Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin” ), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together.
3“I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5“Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered.
6“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.
9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
12“Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus’s Threefold Restoration of Peter
15When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
“Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
“Shepherd my sheep,” he told him.
17He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18“Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”
17He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18“Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”
Correcting a False Report
20So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
22“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
23So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
22“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
23So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Epilogue
24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.
25And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.
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