The Holy New Covenant


The Good News as given by John


Chapter 1

01 The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word is the essence of God. 02 He was with God in the beginning. 03 Through him everything was made. Without him nothing which has happened would have happened. 04 He was the Source of life and that life was the light for people. 05 The same light shines in the darkness; the darkness never understood it!

06 There was a man sent from God. His name was John. 07 This man came to give proof about the light so that through him, everyone might believe. 08 John was not the light; he was sent to tell the truth about the light. 09 The true light was coming into the world to give light to every person.

10 He was in the world. The world was made through him, but the people of the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his, but his own people would not accept him. 12 Yet he gave the right to become God’s children to those who did accept him, to those who believe in his name. 13 They were born, not in a human way from the natural human desire of men, but born of God.

14 The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only son — who came from the Father, full of help in time of need and truth. 15 John was telling the truth about him. John cried out, "This is the man I talked about: ‘The one, who is coming after me, has been ahead of me’ — because he was alive before I was!"

16 We have all received one blessing after another from the fullness of his help in time of need. 17 Though the law was given through Moses, help in time of need and truth have come through Jesus Christ. 18 No human being has ever seen God. The divine son, who is in the arms of the Father, has made Him known.

19 This is the proof that John gave when the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to ask John this question: "Who are you?" 20 John did not refuse to answer; he spoke freely. He clearly said, "I am not the Messiah!"

21 They asked him, "Who are you? Are you Elijah?" John said, "No, I am not Elijah." They asked, "Are you that Prophet?" John answered, "No." 22 Then they asked him, "Who are you? We must give an answer to the men who sent us here. What do you say about yourself?" 23 John said, "I am ‘a voice shouting in the desert: Prepare the Lord’s highway’, just as Isaiah the prophet said." 24 (They had been sent from the Pharisee group.) 25 They asked John, "If you are not the Messiah, Elijah, or that prophet, why are you immersing people?" 26 John answered them, "Yes, I immerse people in water, but there is another one who stands among you about whom you don’t know. 27 He is the one who is preferred that comes after me. I am not worthy to untie his shoelace."

28 This happened in the town of Bethany across the Jordan River where John was immersing people. 29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said, "Look, the Lamb of God who will take away the world’s sin! 30 This is the one I was talking about: ‘The man who is preferred that is coming after me has been ahead of me, because he was alive before I was.’ 31 I didn’t know him. Why did I come, immersing people in water? To show him to the people of Israel."

32 This is the proof that John gave: "I saw the Spirit coming down like a dove from the sky, resting on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but the One who sent me to immerse people in water said to me, ‘When you see the Spirit coming down and staying upon someone, this is the one who immerses in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen it! I am telling you the truth. He is the Son of God!"

35 Again on the next day, John stood there with two of his students. 36 He looked at Jesus walking by and said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two students heard John say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned around and saw them following him. He said to them, "What do you want?" They asked him, "Where do you live, Rabbi?" (This word means ‘Teacher’.) 39 Jesus said to them, "Come and see." So they went and saw where Jesus was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. (It was about 16:00 hours.)

40 Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother) was one of the two men who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 The first thing that Andrew did was to find his own brother, Simon. Andrew said to him, "We have found the Messiah!" (This word means ‘Christ’.) 42 Then Andrew led Peter to Jesus. When Jesus looked at Peter, he said, "You are Simon, John’s son. You will be called Cephas." (Translated into Greek, this name means ‘a stone’.)

43 The next day, Jesus decided to leave for the Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me!" 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town where Andrew and Peter came from. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one of whom Moses wrote in the law. The prophets wrote about him too! He is Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Is it possible for anything good to come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see for yourself!"

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said this about Nathanael: "Look, here is a real man of Israel! There is nothing false about him!" 48 Nathanael asked Jesus, "From where do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you to come here, I saw you under that fig tree!" 49 And Nathanael answered Jesus, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of the people of Israel!" 50 Jesus said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under a fig tree? You will see even greater things than this. 51 I am telling you the truth: you will all see heaven open and God’s angels coming down and going up from me."


Chapter 2

01 On the third day in the town of Cana in the Galilee, there was a wedding. Jesus’ mother was there. 02 Jesus and his students were invited to the wedding. 03 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, "They have no more wine!" 04 Jesus asked her, "What do you want with me, woman? My time has not yet come."

05 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 06 There were six stone water jars sitting there. (Jewish people used them to make things ceremonially pure.) Each water jar could hold about 75 to 115 liters. 07 Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." They filled the jars to the top. 08 Jesus said to the servants, "Now pour some of this and take it to the master of ceremonies." They did it. 09 He didn’t know from where it came, but the servants who had gotten the water knew. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water which had now been changed into wine, he called for the groom. 10 He said to the groom, "Everyone serves the good wine first and, when the people have had plenty to drink, he serves the cheaper wine. But you have reserved the good wine until now!"

11 This was the first miraculous sign which Jesus performed. It was in the town of Cana in the Galilee. Jesus revealed his glory and his students believed in him. 12 After this, Jesus, his mother, his brothers, and his students went down into the town of Capernaum. They stayed there for a few days.

13 The time for the Jewish Passover was near. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found some men in the temple courtyard selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons. The money-exchangers were also sitting there. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes. He forced all of them to leave the courtyard — even the cattle and the sheep. He turned the money-exchangers’ tables over and scattered their coins. 16 He said to the men who were selling pigeons, "Get those things out of here! Don’t turn my Father’s house into a place of business." 17 His students remembered that this verse was in the Scriptures: "The fire which I feel for Your house burns within me!"

18 The Jewish leaders asked Jesus this question: "What proof do you give to show us that you have the authority to do these things?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days!" 20 Then the Jewish leaders said, "It took 46 years to build this temple — and you would build it again in three days?" 21 (Jesus was talking about his own body. 22 After Jesus was raised from death, his students remembered that he used to say this. They then believed the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.)

23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast, many believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs which he was doing. 24-25 Jesus was not committing himself to them. Jesus knew what people were like. He didn’t need anyone to tell him about men; he always knew what was in man.


Chapter 3

01 There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a Jewish leader, one of the Pharisees. 02 This man came to Jesus at night. Nicodemus said to him, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. No one could do these miracles which you are performing if God were not with him." 03 Jesus answered him, "I am telling you the truth: if a person is not born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God!" 04 Nicodemus asked him, "When a man is already old, how can he be reborn? It is not possible for him to go inside his mother’s womb the second time and be born!" 05 Jesus answered,

"I am telling you the truth: if a person is not born from water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God! 06 What has been born from men is human. And what has been born from the Spirit is spiritual.

07 "Don’t be surprised because I said this to you: ‘You must be born again.’ 08 The wind blows wherever it wishes. You hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same way with everyone who has been born of the Spirit."

09 Nicodemus responded to Jesus, "How can these things happen?" 10 Jesus answered him,

"Are you a teacher of the people of Israel, and you don’t know these things? 11 I am telling you the truth: we are talking about what we know. We are telling the truth about what we have seen. But you are not accepting our truth.

12 "Since I am talking to you about things on earth and you are not believing them, if I were to tell you about heavenly things, how could you believe? 13 I am the only one who ever came down from heaven and ever went up to heaven. 14 Moses lifted up the brass snake in the desert. In the same way, I1 must be lifted up 15 so that everyone who commits himself to me will have eternal life." 16 God gave Himself to the people of the world, for their good, expecting nothing in return, by giving up His one and only Son. Every person who commits himself to Jesus will not be destroyed. Instead, that person will have eternal life.

17 "God did not send His Son into the world to judge it. God sent Jesus so that the people of the world could be saved through him. 18 The person who commits himself to Jesus is not condemned, but the one who does not commit himself to Jesus has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people gave themselves to darkness instead of light because the things which they were doing were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light. He does not come toward the light. He doesn’t want his evil deeds to be exposed. 21 But the person who is living by the truth comes into the light. He wants his actions to become clear because he did them through God."

22 After this, Jesus and his students went to the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and he was immersing some people. 23 John was immersing people in the town of Aenon (which is not far from the town of Salim) because there was plenty of water there. People continued coming to be immersed. 24 (John had not yet been thrown into prison.) 25 There was an argument between some of John’s students and a Jewish man about making things pure. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the man you have endorsed, who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, look, he is immersing people too. Everyone is coming to him!"

27 John answered,

"No one can receive anything if heaven has not given it to him. 28 You yourselves know that I told the truth when I said, ‘I am not the Messiah!’ I have been sent ahead of him. 29 The groom is the one who will get the bride. The best man is the one who stands by and listens. He is glad when he hears the groom’s voice. This is my joy; it is now complete.

30 "Jesus must become more important; I will become less important. 31 The one who comes from above is greater than all things. The person who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and talks about the earth. The one who comes from heaven is the most important. 32 He tells the truth about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his proof. 33 The person who does accept his proof confirms that God is true.

34 "God sent Jesus. Jesus speaks the words of God because God gave him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father has given Himself to the Son, for his good, expecting nothing in return, and has put everything in the Son’s control. 36 The person who commits himself to the Son has eternal life, but the person who does not obey the Son will not see eternal life. Instead, God’s punishment stays on that person."


Chapter 4

01 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was making more students and immersing more people than John. 02 (Jesus was really not the one who performed the immersion; his students did it.) 03 When Jesus heard this, he left Judea and went back to the Galilee.

04 Jesus needed to go through the area of Samaria. 05 He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the property which Jacob had given to Joseph, his son. 06 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired because of traveling so he sat down for a while at the well. It was about noon.

07 A Samaritan woman came to get some water. Jesus said to her, "Please, give me a drink of water." 08 (His students had gone into town to buy some food.) 09 The Samaritan woman said to Jesus, "You are a Jewish man and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink of water?" (Jewish people didn’t want to associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew about God’s gift and who I really am, you would ask me to give you a drink of living water!" 11 The woman said to Jesus, "Sir, you don’t even have a bucket and the well is deep. Where are you going to get this living water? 12 You are not greater than Jacob, our ancestor, are you? Jacob’s flocks and herds, his sons, and Jacob himself drank from this well. He gave it to us!" 13 Jesus answered her, "Any person who drinks this water will become thirsty again 14 but if anyone drinks the water which I will give him, he will never be thirsty again. The water which I give him will become a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to Jesus, "My Lord, give me some of this water so that I won’t get thirsty and won’t have to come back here again and again to get water."

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband. Then come back here." 17 The woman answered him, "I don’t have a husband." Jesus said to her, "So true! 18 You have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband. You spoke the truth."

19 The woman said to him, "My Lord, I now understand that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where people must worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you won’t worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans are worshipping that which you don’t understand, but we Jews are worshipping what we know.

Deliverance from sin comes from the Jewish people. 23 But the time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is searching for this kind of people to worship Him. 24 God is spirit — the people who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

25 The woman said to Jesus, "I know that Messiah (the one called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will tell us about everything." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am the one!"

27 Just then, Jesus’ students came. They were amazed that Jesus was talking with a woman. However, not one of them asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28 Then the woman left her water bucket and went back into town. This is what she said to the people: 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. He must be the Messiah!" 30 So they left town and they were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile, Jesus’ students were encouraging Jesus to eat something. They said, "Rabbi, eat!" 32 But Jesus said to them, "I have food to eat which you don’t know about." 33 The students said to one another, "No one brought Jesus anything to eat, did they?" 34 Jesus said to them,

"I must obey what God wants; He sent me. I must finish His work. That is food for me! 35 You say, ‘Four months more and then the time for harvest comes.’

But, listen, I am telling you to look up and see the fields. They are ready for harvest now. 36 The person who gathers the harvest receives his pay; he gathers the crops for eternal life. The person who plants and the person who gathers will be happy at the same time. 37 This saying is true: ‘One person plants and another person gathers.’ 38 I sent you to gather the harvest for which you have not worked. Other men worked hard; you are gaining from their work."

39 Many Samaritan people in that city believed in Jesus because of the woman’s word. She testified, "He told me everything I ever did!" 40 When the Samaritan men came to Jesus, they were begging him to stay with them. Jesus stayed there for two days. 41 Many more people believed because of Jesus’ message. 42 They said to the woman, "We believe not only because of what you said, but also because we ourselves have heard Jesus. We know that he is truly the Savior of the world!"

43 After two days Jesus left there to go to the Galilee. 44 Jesus himself said that this was true: "A prophet is not accepted in his own hometown." 45 When he came to the Galilee, the people of the Galilee welcomed him. They had seen all the things he did in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. (They also went to the feast.)

46 Again Jesus went to the town of Cana in the Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. There was a government official there. He had a son who was sick in the town of Capernaum. 47 This man heard that Jesus had arrived in the Galilee from the land of Judea. The man came to Jesus and begged him to go to his home and heal his son. (The son was about to die.) 48 Jesus said to the man, "You people must see proofs from God and miracles or you will never believe." 49 The government official said to Jesus, "Lord, please go to my house before my little boy dies!" 50 Jesus answered him, "Go, your son lives." The man believed. He took Jesus at his word and left. 51 While the man was going home, his slaves met him. They said, "Your child lives!" 52 Then the man began asking them questions about the exact time when the boy got better. They answered, "The fever left him yesterday at one o’clock in the afternoon." 53 The father knew that this was the exact time when Jesus had said, "Your son lives!" The man and his whole family believed. 54 This was the second miracle that Jesus performed, after he came to the Galilee from the land of Judea.


Chapter 5

01 Later there was another Jewish festival. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 02 Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool that is called Bethesda in Aramaic. It has five porches. 03 A crowd of people used to lie around among the porches. Some of them were sick, blind, lame, or crippled. 04 An angel went down at a certain time and stirs the water: whoever was the first to step into the water then was made well of whatever disease he had. 05 One man had been there as an invalid for 38 years.

06 When Jesus saw the man lying there, he knew that the man had been there a long time. Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be well?" 07 The sick man answered Jesus, "Sir, I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when the water stirs. While I am going, someone else goes ahead of me." 08 Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your small bed and walk!" 09 Immediately the man got well. He picked up his bed and began walking around. (This happened on a Sabbath day.)

10 The Jewish leaders were saying to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath day! It is not right for you to carry your bed." 11 The man answered them, "The one who made me well told me to pick up my bed and walk." 12 They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to pick up your bed and walk?" 13 The man who was healed didn’t know who Jesus was because Jesus had slipped away in the crowd that was there.

14 Later, Jesus found the man in the temple courtyard. Jesus said to him, "Look, you have been made well. Stop sinning so that something worse won’t happen to you." 15 The man went and told the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the one who had made him well. 16 Because of this, the Jewish leaders were persecuting Jesus — he was doing these things on the Sabbath day. 17 Jesus answered them, "My Father always works and I must work too."

18 Because of this, the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill Jesus. They thought that Jesus was not only breaking the rules about the Sabbath day but he was also claiming that God was his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.

19 So Jesus answered them,

"I am telling you the truth: the Son can do nothing on his own. He can only do what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father may do, the Son will do the same thing. 20 The Father loves the Son. The Father shows him everything He is doing. The Father will show him even greater deeds than these so that you will be amazed. 21 Just as the Father raises dead people and makes them live again, in the same way the Son gives life to whom he wishes.

22 "The Father does not judge anyone. Instead, He has given the Son the right to judge everything 23 so that everyone will honor the Son as they honor the Father. The person who does not honor the Son is not honoring the Father who sent the Son. 24 I am telling you the truth: the person who listens to my teaching and believes in the One who sent me has eternal life. That person will not stand the Judgment. Instead, he has passed from death over to life.

25 "I am telling you the truth: the time is coming — the time has already come — when dead people will hear the voice of the Son of God. And when they hear it, they will live again! 26 The Father has life in Himself. In the same way He has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27 The Father gave the Son authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 Don’t be surprised at this because the time is coming when everyone in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God. 29 They will come out of the graves. Those who lived right will rise to life, but those who did evil things will rise to stand the judgment.

30 "I cannot do anything on my own. I judge on the basis of what I hear. Since I am not seeking my own will, my decision is fair. I am seeking the will of the One who sent me. 31 If I were giving proof about myself, my proof would not be true. 32 But there is another man who is giving proof about me. I know that the proof he gives about me is true.

33 "You sent some men to John and he has told the truth. 34 I don’t accept proof from men. But I am saying these things so that you can be saved. 35 John was a light that burns and shines. You were willing to enjoy his light for a while.

36 "But I have more proof than John’s: the deeds which the Father has given me to finish. The deeds prove that the Father sent me! 37 The One who sent me is the Father; He has given proof about me. You have never heard God’s voice. You have never seen His shape. 38 And you don’t have His teaching staying in you. You don’t believe in the one whom God sent.

39 "You are always searching the Scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them. But the Scriptures are giving proof about me! 40 You don’t want to come to me so that you may have life.

41 "I don’t accept praise from men, 42 but I know you — you don’t have God’s giving of Himself, expecting nothing in return, in your hearts. 43 I have come with the authority of my Father and you are not accepting me. If someone else comes with his own authority, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? 45 Don’t think that I will accuse you in front of your father. Moses is the one you trust. He is accusing you before the Father! 46 If you believed Moses, you would have believed me because he wrote about me. 47 If you won’t believe in what he wrote, how can you believe in my words?"


Chapter 6

01 After this, Jesus went back across the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias). 02 A large crowd of people was following him because they saw him perform miracles on sick people. 03 Then Jesus went up on the side of a hill and sat down with his students. 04 The time for the Jewish Passover Feast was near. 05 Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward him. He said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food to feed so many people?" 06 (Jesus said this to test Philip; Jesus knew what he was going to do.) 07 Philip answered him, "200 silver coins’ worth of food would not be enough — even if each person had only a small amount!"

08 One of Jesus’ students, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Jesus, 09 "Here is a little boy who has five small loaves of barley bread and two small fish, but how long would that last among so many people?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." (There was a lot of grass in that spot.) There were about 5,000 men. They sat down. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves of bread and gave thanks to God for them. He divided them among the students who divided them among those who were sitting down. He did the same thing with the fish. They had as much as they wanted. 12 When they were full, Jesus said to his students, "Gather up the leftovers so that nothing will be wasted." 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve large baskets with the leftover pieces from the five small barley loaves. 14 The people saw this miracle that Jesus performed. They began saying, "Truly this is that prophet we were expecting to come into the world."

15 Jesus knew they were about to come and take him so that they could make him a king; therefore he left again for the mountains to be alone. 16 When it was evening, Jesus’ students went down to the lake. 17 They climbed into a boat and started across the lake, heading for the town of Capernaum. It was already dark and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters of the lake became rough.

19 Jesus’ students had rowed between 5 to 6 kilometers when they saw Jesus. He was walking on the lake. He was coming closer to the boat. They were afraid. 20 But Jesus said to them, "Don’t be afraid. It is I!" 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, but the boat soon came to the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd which had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that only one boat was still there. They knew that Jesus did not get into that boat with his students; they had left by themselves. 23 Some more boats from Tiberias came near the place where the people had eaten the bread for which the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd realized that Jesus and his students were not there, they got into some boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus.

25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me, not because of the miracles but because you ate the food and were filled! 27 Don’t work for the kind of food which spoils. Instead, work for the kind of food which gives you life forever. I will give you this kind of food. God the Father puts His mark of approval on me."

28 They asked Jesus, "What should we do so that we may work God’s works?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is God’s work — you must commit yourselves to the one whom God sent!" 30 They said to him, "What miraculous sign will you do so that we may see it and commit ourselves to you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert. It is written: ‘He gave them food to eat from heaven.’" 32 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: Moses did not give you food from heaven. My Father is the One who gives you the true food from heaven. 33 God’s food comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 Then they said to Jesus, "Sir, always give us this food!" 35 Jesus said to them,

"I am the food which gives life. The person who comes to me will never be hungry. The one who commits himself to me will never be thirsty. 36 I told you, ‘Though you have seen me, yet you still do not believe.’ 37 All that the Father gives to me comes to me. I will never send away the person who comes to me.

38 "Why did I come down from heaven? It was not to do my own will but to do the will of the One who sent me. 39 This is the will of the One who sent me: I must not lose anything that God has given to me. I must restore it to God on the last day. 40 This is what my Father wants: every person who sees the Son and commits himself to him will have eternal life. I will restore that person on the last day."

41 The Jewish leaders were complaining about Jesus because he said, "I am the food which came down from heaven." 42 They said, "This is Jesus, Joseph’s son. We know his father and mother. Why is he now saying, ‘I have come down from heaven?’" 43 Jesus answered them,

"Stop complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. On the last day I will raise that person from death. 45 One of the prophets wrote this: ‘All people will be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father. The only one who has seen the Father is the one who was of God.

47 "I am telling you the truth: the person who believes on me has eternal life. 48 I am the food which gives life. 49 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert but they died. 50 There is a type of food which comes down from heaven. If someone eats it, he will not die. 51 I am the living food which comes down from heaven; it gives life. If anyone eats this food, he will live forever. The food which I will give is my flesh. I want the people of the world to live."

52 The Jews started arguing strongly with each other, "How can Jesus give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them,

"I am telling you the truth: if you don’t eat my flesh and you don’t drink my blood, you do not have life in you! 54 The person who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. I will raise him from death on the last day. 55 My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 The person who eats my flesh and drinks my blood stays in me and I stay in him.

57 "The living Father sent me. I live because of the Father. In the same way, the person who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the food which came down from heaven. The person who eats this food will live forever. This food is not what our ancestors ate and then died."

59 These are the things which Jesus said while teaching in the house of worship at Capernaum. 60 Many of Jesus’ students heard these things and said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 61 Jesus knew that his students were complaining about this. He asked them, "Does this offend you? 62 Suppose you were to see me going up to where I was before? 63 The Spirit is life giving; physical things are not worth very much. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life 64 but some of you don’t believe." (From the very beginning Jesus knew who didn’t believe and which one would turn against him.)

65 Jesus said, "This is why I told you that no one could come to me if he were not allowed to come by my Father." 66 Because of this, many of Jesus’ students turned back and did not walk with him anymore. 67 Jesus said to the twelve students, "You don’t want to go away too, do you?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom else can we go? You have the words of eternal life! 69 We have believed and know that you are Christ, the Son of the living God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose all twelve of you? But one of you is a devil!" 71 Jesus was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas, one of the twelve students, was about to turn against Jesus.


Chapter 7

01 After this, Jesus was traveling around in the Galilee. He didn’t want to go to the land of Judea because the Jewish leaders were trying to kill him. 02 The time for the Jewish Festival of Tents was near. 03 Jesus’ brothers said to him, "Get away from here and go to Judea so that your students may see the works you are doing. 04 If someone wants to be famous, he doesn’t hide the things he is doing. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world!" 05 (Even Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him.)

06 Then Jesus said to them, "It is not yet the right time for me. There is always a good time for you. 07 The people of the world cannot hate you. They hate me because I tell the truth about them — their lives are evil! 08 You should go on up to the feast in Jerusalem. I am not going up to this feast just yet. The time is not yet ripe for me."

09 After he said these things, Jesus stayed in the Galilee. 10 After Jesus’ brothers went up to Jerusalem for the feast, Jesus also went up there, but Jesus did it secretly. 11 The Jewish leaders were looking for him at the festival. They continued to ask, "Where is that man?" 12 Many people in the crowd were arguing about Jesus. Some were saying, "He is a good man." Others were saying, "No, he fools the people!" 13 But no one was talking about Jesus openly because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.

14 The festival was already half over when Jesus came up to Jerusalem to the temple. Jesus began to teach the people. 15 The Jewish leaders were amazed. They asked, "How did this man learn so much? He never went to school!" 16 Then Jesus said to them, "My teaching does not belong to me; it comes from the One who sent me. 17 If anyone will do what God wants, that person will find out whether my teaching comes from God or if I am speaking on my own. 18 The person who speaks on his own is trying to get glory for himself, but the person who wants glory to go to the One who sent him is honest. There is no wrong in him. 19 Moses gave you the law but not one of you is obeying the law. Why are you trying to kill me?"

20 The crowd answered, "You have a devil! Who is trying to kill you?" 21 Jesus answered them, "I did one miracle on the Sabbath day and all of you are amazed. 22 Yet you will circumcise a child on the Sabbath day. Moses gave you circumcision! Actually, circumcision did not come from Moses, but from our ancestors. 23 Since a child can receive circumcision on the Sabbath day so that the law of Moses won’t be broken, why are you so angry with me? I made a man completely well on the Sabbath day. 24 Don’t judge by the way things look! Judge rightfully."

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "This is the man whom the Jewish leaders are trying to kill. 26 And look, he speaks in the open and they are saying nothing to him about it! Is it possible that the leaders know he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from!"

28 While Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courtyard, Jesus cried out, "Do you know me? Do you know where I come from? I have not come on my own. However, the One who sent me is true. You don’t know Him! 29 But I know Him because I was with Him. He sent me!" 30 Then they tried to arrest Jesus. But no one laid a hand on him because his time had not yet come.

31 Many people in the crowd believed in Jesus. They said, "When the Messiah comes, will he do more miracles than this man has done?" 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd arguing these things about Jesus. The most important priests and the Pharisees sent some guards to arrest Jesus.

33 Then Jesus said, "I will be with you a little while longer, but then I must go to the One who sent me. 34 You will search for me but you won’t find me. I will be where you cannot come." 35 Then the Jewish leaders thought to themselves, "Where is he about to go so that we cannot find him? He wouldn’t go to the Jews who live in the Greek cities, would he? Would he teach non-Jewish people there? Surely not! 36 What is the meaning of what he said: ‘You will search for me but you won’t find me.’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come.’?"

37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood and cried out, "If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! 38 The person who believes in me will be like the Scripture which says: ‘A river of fresh water will flow from his belly.’" 39 (Here Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit whom the ones believing in him were about to receive. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been raised to glory.)

40 Some of the people in the crowd heard these words. They said, "Surely he is the prophet!" 41 Other people said, "This man is the Messiah!" Still others said, "Shall Messiah come from the Galilee! 42 The Scripture said that the coming Messiah would be from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived." 43 So the people in the crowd were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some of them were wanting to arrest him but no one laid a hand on him.

45 Later, the guards came back to the most important priests and Pharisees. They asked the guards, "Why didn’t you bring back Jesus?" 46 The guards answered, "No man ever spoke like this!" 47 The Pharisees answered them, "You haven’t been fooled too, have you? 48 None of the Jewish leaders or the Pharisees have believed in Jesus, have they? 49 This crowd is ignorant of the law. They should be cursed!"

50 Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees. (Remember, he had come to Jesus before.) He said to them, 51 "Our law does not condemn a man without hearing from him first. We must find out what he is doing." 52 They answered Nicodemus, "Are you also from the Galilee? Search the Scriptures and you will see that no prophet comes from the Galilee." 53 Then each one of them went home.


Chapter 8

01 Jesus went to the Hill of Olives. 02 Early the next morning Jesus went back to the temple courtyard. All the people were coming to him. He sat down and began teaching them. 03 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus. They had caught her committing unlawful sexual intercourse. They made her stand in the center. 04 They said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing unlawful sexual intercourse. 05 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such people to death. What do you say about her?" 06 (They were saying this to test Jesus. They wanted to get something which they could use to accuse him.) Jesus bent down and wrote something on the ground with his finger. 07 They continued to ask Jesus questions. Jesus stood up and said to them, "The one among you who has not sinned should throw the first stone at her!" 08 Jesus bent down again and continued writing on the ground. 09 When they heard this, having guilty consciences, they began to leave one by one from the oldest on down. Jesus was the only one left. The woman was still standing there too. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Is anyone condemning you?" 11 She answered, "No one, Lord." Jesus said, "I am not condemning you either. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore!"

12 Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, "I am the light for the people of the world. The person who follows me will never walk in darkness. Instead, he will have the light of life." 13 Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your proof is not true!" 14 Jesus answered them,

"Even though I am testifying on my own behalf, my proof is still true because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going. 15 You judge in a human way; I am not judging anyone now. 16 But if I were to judge, my decision would be right because I am not alone — the Father who sent me is with me too. 17 In your law this is written, ‘The testimony of two people is true.’ 18 So I am testifying on my own behalf and the Father who sent me is testifying for me too."

19 The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You don’t know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father." 20 Jesus spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple courtyard. He was near the place where the offering boxes were placed. No one arrested Jesus because his time had not yet come.

21 Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away and you will search for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot come where I am going." 22 The Jewish leaders asked, "Will he kill himself? He said, ‘You cannot come where I am going.’" 23 Jesus said to them, "You come from below. I come from above. You come from this world. I do not come from this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I am the one, you will die in your sins." 25 Then they asked, "Who are you?" Jesus answered them, "I am what I have been telling you all along! 26 There are many things I have to judge and to say about you. However, the One who sent me is true. I tell the people in the world only what I have heard from my Father."

27 They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the heavenly Father. 28 So Jesus said this to them: "You will know that I am the one when you raise me high. I do nothing on my own. I am only saying the things which the Father teaches me. 29 The One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to Him."

30 While Jesus was speaking, many people believed in him. 31 Jesus was talking with the Jews who had believed in him, saying, "If you continue in my teaching, you are truly my students. 32 You will find the truth, and the truth will set you free." 33 They answered him, "We are Abraham’s descendants. We have never been slaves to any man. How can you say, ‘You will be free’?"

34 Jesus answered them,

"I am telling you the truth: every person who practices sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not live in the house forever, but a son will always live there. 36 If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

37 "I know that you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because you cannot find room in your hearts for my teaching. 38 I talk about the things which I saw while I was with the Father. You do the things which you hear from your father. 39 They answered Jesus, "Abraham is our father!" Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the things that Abraham did. 40 Abraham would not have done this, but now you are trying to kill me. I have told you the truth which I heard when I was with God. 41 You are doing the things your father does." They said to Jesus, "The only Father we have is God; we are not illegitimate!" 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would give yourselves to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return. I am here now and I came from God. I didn’t come on my own — God sent me.

43 "Why do you not understand what I am saying? You cannot listen to my teaching. 44 You come from your father, the devil. You want to do the sinful things that your father wants. The devil was a murderer from the very beginning. He does not stand with the truth because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only talking naturally because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But I am telling you the truth and that is why you don’t believe me.

46 "Can one of you prove that I am guilty of sin? Since I always tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 The person who comes from God listens to God. This is why you won’t listen — you are not from God!" 48 The Jewish leaders answered, "How right we are when we say that you are a Samaritan; you have a demon!" 49 Jesus answered,

"I do not have a demon. I honor my Father, but you don’t honor me. 50 I’m not looking for glory for myself, but there is One who is looking for glory for me; He is the judge. 51 I am telling you the truth: if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never die!"

52 Then the Jewish leaders said to Jesus, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham and the prophets died. Yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching he will never die.’ 53 You are not more important than Abraham, our ancestor, are you? He died. The prophets died too. Just who do you think you are?" 54 Jesus answered,

"If I were trying to get glory for myself, my glory would be worth nothing. The One who is giving me glory is my Father. You are saying, ‘He is our God!’ 55 But you don’t know Him. I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be like you — a liar! But I really do know Him and I obey His teaching.

56 "Abraham, your ancestor, was very happy to see my day; he saw it and was glad." 57 Then the Jewish leaders said to Jesus, "You are not yet 50 years old — and you have seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: Before Abraham was, ‘I AM’!" 59 They picked up stones to throw at Jesus but he left the temple courtyard and kept out of sight.


Chapter 9

01 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 02 Jesus’ students asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this person or his parents, to cause him to be born blind?" 03 Jesus answered,

"This person did not sin, nor did his parents sin. No, this occurred so that God’s deeds might be shown in this man’s life. 04 I must do the tasks of the One who sent me while it is still daytime. Night is coming. No one can work then. 05 I am light for the people of the world while I am in the world."

06 After Jesus said these things, he spit on the ground and made some mud with it. Then he rubbed it on the blind man’s eyes. 07 Jesus said to him, "Go, wash yourself in the pool of Siloam." (This word means ‘Sent’.) Then the blind man went away and washed himself and came back with sight! 08 Then the people who used to see him before (when he was a beggar) and his neighbors were saying, "This is the man who used to sit and beg!" 09 Other people were saying, "It’s him!" Still others were saying, "No, but he looks like him." But the man himself continued to say, "I’m the one!" 10 They asked again and again, "How come you can see?" 11 The man answered, "A man called Jesus made some mud and rubbed it on my eyes. Then he told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went there and washed myself, and now I can see!" 12 They asked him, "Where is Jesus?" The blind man answered, "I don’t know."

13 They brought the man who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 (Jesus had made the mud and opened the blind man’s eyes on the Sabbath day. 15 Again, the Pharisees kept asking the blind man how he could see. The man said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed myself, and I can see."

16 Some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath day!" But others were asking, "How could a sinful man perform such miracles?" They were divided among themselves. 17 They asked the man again, "What do you say about Jesus? Do you believe he opened your eyes?" The man answered, "He is a prophet."

18 The Jewish leaders didn’t believe that the man had really been blind and could now see until they called the man’s parents. 19 The leaders asked them, "Is this man your son? Do you claim that he was born blind? How come he now sees?" 20 Then his parents answered, "We know he is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see now. We don’t know how he opened his eyes. Ask him. He is a grown man; he can speak for himself." 22 (The man’s parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The Jewish leaders had already agreed that if anyone said that Jesus was the Messiah, that person would be thrown out of the house of worship. 23 That is why his parents said, "He is an adult; ask him.")

24 Then a second time, the Jewish leaders told the man (who had been blind), "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." 25 The man answered, "Maybe I am a sinner. I don’t know. But one thing I do know, I was blind and now I can see." 26 They asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 The man answered, "I have already told you and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his students, do you?" 28 Then they insulted the man saying, "You are Jesus’ student. We are Moses’ students. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But we don’t know where this Jesus comes from." 30 The man answered them, "That is amazing! You don’t know where Jesus comes from, and yet he opened my eyes! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but God will listen to anyone who worships Him and obeys His will. 32 Since time began, no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If Jesus did not come from God, he could not do anything." 34 They answered him, "You were totally born in sin; you cannot teach us!" And they threw him out.

35 Jesus heard that the Jewish leaders had thrown the man out. Jesus found him and asked him, "Do you believe on the Son of God?" 36 The man answered, "Sir, who is he, so that I may believe in him?" 37 Jesus said to him, "You have seen him and he is speaking to you right now!" 38 The man said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshipped Jesus.

39 Jesus said, "I came into this world so that there can be a Judgment Day, so that the people who cannot see may see and those who think they can see may become blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were with Jesus heard this. They said to him, "You don’t think we are blind too, do you?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would be innocent, but you are now claiming you can see so your guilt remains."


Chapter 10

01 "I am telling you the truth: if a man does not get into the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in by some other way, he is a robber and a bandit. 02 The one who comes through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 03 The man who guards the gate opens the gate for him. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice. The shepherd calls the name of each one of his sheep and leads them out. 04 After he has brought all his own sheep out, he walks ahead of them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 05 They would never follow a stranger; they would run away from him. They would not recognize a stranger’s voice."

06 Jesus used this example about sheep, but the people didn’t understand what he was talking about. 07 Therefore, Jesus spoke again,

"I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 08 All those who came before me were either robbers or bandits, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 09 I am the gate. If anyone will enter through me, he will be saved. He may come and go as he pleases and find plenty to eat. 10 Why does the robber come? Only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they might have life — to the fullest!

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his own life for the sheep. 12 A man who has been hired is not really a shepherd. The sheep do not belong to him. When he sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. The wolf catches them and scatters them. 13 The man doesn’t care about the sheep because he is a hired man. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know my Father. I will give my life for the sheep. 16 But I have some other sheep that are not in this flock. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice. Then they will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 "Do you know why my Father gives Himself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return? Because I will lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it away from me. I am laying it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down and I have the authority to take it up again. I received this order from my Father."

19 Again the Jewish people were divided because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, "He has a demon! He’s insane! Why are you listening to him?" 21 Others were saying, "These words don’t sound like the words of a demon possessed person. Could a demon possessed man open the eyes of a blind man?"

22 It was winter. The time came for the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. 23 Jesus was walking in the temple courtyard next to Solomon’s Porch. 24 Some Jews gathered around him. They kept asking him, "How much longer will you make us wait? If you are the Messiah, tell us clearly!" 25 Jesus answered them,

"I told you, but you didn’t believe. I am doing miracles with my Father’s authority. These are telling the truth about me, 26 but you don’t believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice. I know them. They follow me. 28 I give them eternal life. They will never be lost. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father is greater than anyone. No one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. He has given me all things. 30 My Father and I are one."

31 Again some Jews picked up stones to throw at Jesus and kill him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which good work are you stoning me?" 33 They answered him, "We are going to throw rocks at you, not for any good work, but because you said some evil things against God! You are only a man, yet you are making yourself God." 34 Jesus answered them, "This is written in your law: ‘I said that you are gods.’ 35 The message of God came to them and since he said ‘gods’ — and the Scripture cannot be broken — 36 why are you claiming I am saying evil things against God when I said, ‘I am God’s Son’. The Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37 If I am not performing miracles from my Father, don’t believe in me. 38 But if I am doing them, even though you may not believe in me, believe in the evidence of the miracles. You must know, once and for all, that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." 39 Once again they were trying to arrest Jesus but he slipped through their hands.

40 Jesus went back across the Jordan River to the place where John was first immersing people. Jesus stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. They said, "John did not perform any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true." 42 Many people there believed in Jesus.


Chapter 11

01 A man named Lazarus was sick. He and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were from the village of Bethany. 02 (Mary was the one who rubbed the Lord Jesus’ feet with perfume and dried them with her hair.) 03 The two sisters sent a message saying, "Listen, your friend Lazarus is very sick!" 04 When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness will not end in death. Instead, it will be for God’s glory. This will be used to give glory to the Son of God." 05 Jesus gave himself to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, for their good, expecting nothing in return.

06 When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two days. 07 After that, Jesus said to his students, "Let us go back to the land of Judea." 08 Jesus’ students said to him, "But, Rabbi, the Jews were trying to stone you to death! Do you want to go there again?" 09 Jesus answered, "There are twelve hours in a day. Someone who is walking in the daytime does not stumble; he sees the light in this world. 10 But a person may stumble when he walks at night because he has no light." 11 After Jesus said these things, he told them this: "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I will go wake him up."

12 Then Jesus’ students said to him, "Lord, he will be all right if he’s asleep." 13 (Jesus was talking about the death of Lazarus. They thought Jesus was talking about natural sleep.) 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died! 15 For your sakes, I’m glad I was not there when he died. I want you to believe. Let us go to him." 16 Thomas (called The Twin) said to the other students, "Let us go too, so we can die with him!"

17 When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been put in the grave four days before. 18 The village of Bethany was near Jerusalem, less than 3 kilometers away. 19 Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them over their brother’s death. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary continued to sit in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, my brother would never have died if you had been here. 22 But, even now, I know if you ask God, He would give you anything." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise from death." 24 Martha said to Jesus, "I know that Lazarus will rise from death when all people are raised on the last Day."

25 Jesus answered her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The person who commits himself to me will live, even though he may die. 26 Every person who lives and commits himself to me will never die! Do you believe this?" 27 Martha said to him, "Yes, Lord. I still believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world."

28 After Martha said these things, she went back and secretly called Mary, her sister, telling her, "The Teacher is here; he is calling for you. 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the village. He was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 Some Jews were with Mary in the house, comforting her. When they saw Mary stand up quickly and leave, they followed her. They thought she was going to Lazarus’ grave to cry some more there.

32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at Jesus’ feet. She said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!" 33 Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying too. He felt very sorry and upset. 34 Jesus said, "Where have you put Lazarus?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus cried. 36 Then the Jews said, "Look how Jesus loved Lazarus!" 37 But some of them said, "This man was able to open the blind man’s eyes. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus alive?"

38 When Jesus came to the grave, again he was deeply moved in his heart. It was a cave with a large stone placed in front of it. 39 Jesus said, "Take the stone away!" Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, "Lord, this is the fourth day; there is already a bad smell!" 40 Jesus said to her, "I told you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God." 41 Then they took the stone away. Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, I am thankful that you are listening to me. 42 I know that you always listen to me but I said this because of the crowd which is standing here. I want them to believe that You sent me." 43 After Jesus said this, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus! Come out!" 44 The dead man came out. Lazarus’ hands and feet were bound with pieces of cloth. His face was wrapped with a handkerchief. Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go." 45 Many Jews had come to visit Mary. They saw the things which Jesus did and believed in him.

46 But some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 The most important priests and the Pharisees called a meeting. They asked each other, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many miracles! 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take us away — our holy place and our nation."

49 One of them was Caiaphas. He was the high priest that year. He said to them, "You know nothing! 50 Don’t you think it would be better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?" 51 (Caiaphas did not say this on his own. But since he was the high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the Jewish nation. 52 And not only for them but also so that all God’s scattered children might be gathered together into one people.)

53 From that day forward they plotted to kill Jesus. 54 For that reason, Jesus was not moving around among the Jews openly anymore. Jesus left there for an area which was near the desert. It was a town called Ephraim. Jesus stayed there with his students for a while.

55 The time for the Jewish Passover Festival was near. Many people went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover began. They wanted to make themselves pure. 56 These people were standing in the temple courtyard looking for Jesus. They were asking one another, "What do you think? Will Jesus come to the festival or not?" 57 The most important priests and Pharisees had given an order: "If anyone knows where Jesus is, he must tell us so that we may arrest him."


Chapter 12

01 Six days before the Passover Festival, Jesus came to the town of Bethany. Lazarus was there — the one whom Jesus had raised from death. 02 They gave a dinner for Jesus. Martha was helping and Lazarus was one of the guests with Jesus. 03 Mary brought in about 0.5 liter of a very expensive perfume — pure nard. She rubbed it on Jesus’ feet. Then she dried his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the smell of perfume.

04 One of Jesus’ students was ready to turn against Jesus. This was Judas Iscariot. He said, 05 "Why wasn’t this perfume sold for 300 silver coins and given to some poor people?" 06 (Judas did not say this because he cared about poor people. Judas was a thief; he was the one who was always carrying the group’s bag of money.) 07 Then Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She must do this for the day when I am buried. 08 You will always have the poor with you but you will not always have me!"

09 A large crowd of Jews knew that Jesus was there. They came not only because they wanted to see Jesus, but also because of Lazarus, who had been raised from death. 10 The most important priests planned to kill Lazarus too. 11 Many people were going away from the Jewish leaders because of Lazarus. They were beginning to believe in Jesus.

12 The next day a large crowd came to the festival. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took branches from palm trees and went out to meet him. They were shouting, " Save us! Give praise to the king of Israel who is coming with the authority of the Lord God." 14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it as it is written: 15 "Don’t be afraid, city of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a young donkey." 16 At first Jesus’ students didn’t understand these things but later, when Jesus was raised to life in glory, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things for him.

17 There was a crowd with Jesus. They were always telling people about how Jesus called Lazarus from the grave, how he raised him from death. 18 This is why a crowd met Jesus. They heard that Jesus had performed this miracle. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, "Look! Nothing we do does any good. Everyone is following Jesus!"

20 Some non-Jewish people had come up to Jerusalem to worship God at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from the town of Bethsaida in the Galilee. They kept saying to him, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip came and spoke to Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, "The time has come for me to receive glory. 24 I am telling you the truth: if one grain of wheat does not fall into the ground and die, it will always be just one grain of wheat; but if the grain dies, it will produce a large cluster. 25 The person who loves his own life is destroying it, but the person who does not value his life in this world will keep his life forever. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. My servant will be where I am. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor that person.

27 "My soul is very troubled now. What should I say: ‘Father, save me from this time of suffering?’ No, the reason I came was for this time. 28 Father, bring glory to Your name!" Then a Voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have brought glory to it and I will bring glory to it again." 29 There was a crowd standing there. They heard the Voice too. Some of them were saying, "It thundered!" Others were saying, "An angel has spoken to him!" 30 Jesus answered, "This Voice did not speak for my sake — but for your sake. 31 The time has come for this world to be judged. The time has come for the ruler of this world to be thrown out. 32 When I am lifted high above the earth, I will attract everyone to me."

33 (Jesus was saying this to show what kind of death he was about to suffer.) 34 The crowd answered him, "In the law we have heard that the Messiah will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be nailed to a cross? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?" 35 Jesus said to them, "The light is with you only for a little while longer. Travel while you have the light so that darkness will not catch you. A person who is walking around in the dark doesn’t know where he is going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light. You must be sons of light." When Jesus had finished speaking, he went away and kept out of sight.

37 People did not believe in Jesus even though such proofs from God were in front of them. 38 The message of Isaiah the prophet has come true: "Lord, who believed our report? To whom did the Lord God show His power?" 39 They could not believe for the reason given by Isaiah: 40 "Their eyes are blind because of God. Their hearts are hard because of God. Otherwise they could see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn. Then I could heal them." 41

Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory. Isaiah was talking about Jesus. 42 Many people, even some of the leaders, believed in Jesus. But they would not say that they believed because they were afraid of the Pharisees. They didn’t want to be thrown out of the houses of worship. 43 They gave themselves to the praise from man, expecting something in return, more than praise from God.

44 Jesus cried out,

"The person who believes in me is not only believing in me, but also in the One who sent me. 45 The person who sees me sees the One who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world so that every person who believes in me will not stay in the darkness. 47 If someone hears my words and does not obey them, I am not the one who judges him now. I came to save the world, not to judge it. 48 The person who rejects me and does not accept my words has something to condemn him — the very message which I spoke. That message will condemn him on the last day. 49 I have not spoken on my own. The Father Himself sent me. He told me what to say. 50 I know that His command is eternal life. I am saying exactly what the Father said to me."


Chapter 13

01 Just before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his time had come; He must pass from this world to the Father. Jesus had given himself to his own people in this world to the very end, for their good, expecting nothing in return. Jesus now showed them the full extent of his giving to them, for their good, expecting nothing in return. 02 It was time for the evening meal. The devil had already put it in Judas’ heart to turn against Jesus. (Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon.) 03 Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands. He knew that he had come from God and that he was going back to God.

04 Jesus got up from the evening meal and laid his outer clothes aside. He took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 05 Then Jesus put water into a bowl. He began to wash his students’ feet. He dried their feet with the towel which was around his waist. 06 Then Jesus came to Simon Peter. Peter asked him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" 07 Jesus answered him, "You may not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand it later." 08 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I don’t wash you, you are not sharing with me." 09 Simon Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, wash not only my feet; wash my hands and head too!" 10 Jesus said to him, "The person who has already had a bath needs only to wash his feet when they get dirty; his whole body is clean. You are clean — but not all of you!" 11 Jesus knew who was turning against him. That is why Jesus said, "Not all of you are clean!"

12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put on his outer clothes and sat down at the table again. He asked them,

"Do you know what I have just done to you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’. You are right, because I am the Teacher and the Lord. 14 Since I, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 I have given you an example: you should do things for others as I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: a slave is not more important than his master. A messenger is not more important than the one who sent him. 17 Since you know these things, you will be blessed if you practice them.

18 "I am not talking about all of you. I know the ones whom I have chosen. The Scripture must come true: ‘The person who was eating my food turned against me.’ 19 I am telling you now before it happens so that, when it does happen, you may believe that I am the Messiah. 20 I am telling you the truth: if anyone accepts someone whom I send, he is accepting me too! The person who accepts me is accepting the One who sent me."

21 After Jesus said these things, he was very troubled in his spirit. He told them openly, "I am telling you the truth: one of you will turn against me!" 22 Jesus’ students began looking at one another. They were wondering which one he was talking about. 23 One of his students (the one to whom Jesus gave himself, expecting nothing in return) was sitting very close to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter signaled to this student. Peter wanted him to ask Jesus, "Which one are you talking about?" 25 So that student moved very close to Jesus and whispered to him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "After I dip this piece of bread in the sauce, I will give it to that person." Then Jesus dipped a piece of bread into the sauce and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 When this happened, Satan went into Judas. Then Jesus said to him, "Do what you plan to do quickly!" 28 None of the guests knew why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas kept the group’s bag of money, some were thinking that Jesus meant: "Buy what we need for the feast." or "Give something to the poor people." 30 So Judas took the piece of bread and went out immediately. And it was night.

31 After Judas left, Jesus said,

"Now I am given glory and, in me1, God is given glory. 32 Since God is given glory in me1, God will give me glory for myself; He will do it immediately. 33 Little children, I am still with you a little while longer. Just as I said to the Jewish leaders, ‘You will look for me but where I am going you cannot come’: I am saying the same thing to you now.

34 "I am giving you a new command — give yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. You must give yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, just as I have given myself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return.

35 "Giving yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, is how everyone will know that you are my students."

36 Simon Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "I am going where you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I would give up my life for you!" 38 Jesus answered, "Would you give up your life for me? I am telling you the truth: before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will say that you don’t even know me. You will do it three different times!"


Chapter 14

01 "Don’t let your heart be troubled. You trust in God; trust in me too. 02 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would have told you if that were not true. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 03 Since I am leaving to prepare a place for you, you can be sure that I will come back and take you with me so that you will be where I am. 04 You know the road to where I am going."

05 Thomas said to Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 06 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life! The only way anyone can come to the Father is through me! 07 If you had known me, you would have known my Father. But even now, you do know Him and you have seen Him."

08 Philip said to Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father; that would be enough for us." 09 Jesus asked him,

"Philip, have I been with you such a long time and you have not known me? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 You believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, don’t you? The words which I use to speak to you are not words I use on my own. The Father performs His miracles; He stays in me. 11 Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me. At least, believe because of these miracles.

12 "I am telling you the truth: the person who believes in me will do the same deeds that I am performing. He will do even greater things than these. I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask for in my name. The Father will receive glory in the Son. 14 If you ask for something in my name, I will do it. 15 If you give yourself to me, obey my commands. 16 I will ask my Father and He will give you another Comforter, that he might be with you forever; 17 the Spirit of truth. He will be with you forever. The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don’t see him or know him, but you know him because he stays with you — he is in you.

18 "I will not abandon you as though you were orphans. I am coming to you. 19 A little longer and the people of the world will not see me anymore. However, you will see me. You will live because I live. 20 At that time, you will know that I am in my Father; you are in me, and I am in you. 21 The person who accepts my commands and obeys them is the one who truly gives himself to me. My Father will give Himself to the person who gives himself to me, and I will give myself to him, for his good and make myself known to him."

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said to Jesus, "Lord, what has happened that you are ready to reveal yourself to us but not to the people of the world?"



23 Jesus answered him,

"If anyone gives himself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return, and obeys my teaching, my Father will give Himself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. We will come and live in him. 24 The person who does not give himself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return, will not obey my teachings. The message you are hearing is not mine; it belongs to the Father who sent me. 25 I have said these things to you while I am staying with you. 26 The Comforter will teach you everything. He will cause you to remember everything I have told you. He is the Holy Spirit. The Father will send him with my authority.

27 "I am leaving peace with you. I am giving you my peace. This peace that I am giving you is not like the type that the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or afraid. 28 You have heard me say: ‘I am leaving but I will come back to you.’ If you really gave yourselves to me, for my good, you would be glad that I am traveling to the Father. My Father is greater than I am.

29 "Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens, you will believe. 30 I will not say many more things while I am with you. The ruler of the world is coming. He can do nothing to me. 31 I must do as my Father ordered me so that the people of the world may know that I give myself to the Father, expecting nothing in return. Get up! Let us go away from here.


Chapter 15

01 "I am the true vine. My Father is the farmer. 02 My Father takes away any branch in me which is not producing fruit. My Father trims each branch which is producing fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 03 You are already clean because of the message I have spoken to you. 04 Stay in me and I will stay in you. No branch can produce fruit on its own; it must stay on the vine. In the same way you cannot produce fruit unless you stay in me.

05 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Who will produce much fruit? The person who stays in me and in whom I stay. You can do nothing without me! 06 If someone does not stay in me, he is like a branch which is thrown away. He dries up. People gather dead branches and throw them into the fire, and they burn up. 07 If you stay in me and my words stay in you, then you may ask for whatever you want and it will happen for you.

08 "You must produce much fruit and be my students. This is how my Father gets glory. 09 I give myself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return, just as the Father gives Himself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return. Remain in my giving to others, expecting nothing in return. 10 I have obeyed my Father’s commands and I remain in His giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my giving to others.

11 "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my command: give yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, as I have given myself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return. 13 Suppose someone gives up his life for his friends. No one has greater giving to others — for their good, expecting nothing in return — than this.

14 "You are my friends if you do what I command you to do. 15 I am no longer calling you ‘slaves’ because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I am calling you ‘friends’ because I have revealed to you everything which I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me; I chose you! I have appointed you to go and produce fruit. Your fruit will last. My Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 17 Give yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return! I am commanding you to do this!

18 "If the people of the world hate you, remember that they hated me first. 19 If you were from the world, the world would love you. I chose you from out of the world. You are not in the world anymore. That is why the people of the world hate you. 20 Do you remember the lesson I taught you: ‘No slave is more important than his master.’? Since they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey your teaching. 21 The people of the world will do all these things to you because of my name; they didn’t know the One who sent me.

 

 

22 "If I had not come and talked to them, they would not be so guilty; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 A person who hates me hates my Father too. 24 They would not be so guilty if I had not performed deeds among them which no one has ever done. But they have now seen the miracles. They have hated me and my Father. 25 It was necessary for this verse written in their law to come true: ‘They have no reason to hate me.’

26 "I will send you the Comforter from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth who is coming out from the Father. When he comes, he will tell the truth about me. 27 You will testify too, because you were with me from the very beginning.


Chapter 16

01 "I have said these things to you so that you will not be led into sin. 02 They will throw you out of the houses of worship. The time is coming when each person who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 03 They do not know the Father or me. That is why they will do these things. 04 But I have told you these things so when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this in the beginning because I was with you; 05 but now I am going to the One who sent me. Not one of you is asking me ‘Where are you going?’.

06 "You feel very sad, because I have told you these things. 07 But I am telling you the truth: if I leave, it is really better for you. If I don’t leave, the Comforter won’t come to you. However, if I go away, I will send him to you. 08 He will prove that the people of the world are wrong about sin, wrong about what is made right, and wrong about judgment: 09 about sin, because they are not believing in me; 10 about what is made right, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me anymore; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

12 "I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot take it right now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own authority. He will say whatever he hears. He will tell you about things to come. 14 He will give me glory. He will take what I am saying and will tell it to you. 15 Everything that belongs to my Father belongs to me too. This is why I said, ‘He will take what I am saying and tell it to you.’"

16 Jesus said, "In a little while you will not see me anymore but then, after a little while, you will see me because I go to the Father!" 17 Some of Jesus’ students said to one another, "What is the meaning of what he told us: ‘In a little while you will not see me anymore but then, after a little while, you will see me’, and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 What does this ‘little while’ mean? We don’t know what he is talking about!" 19 Jesus knew that they were wanting to ask him a question. He said to them,

"Were you arguing with one another about what I said: ‘In a little while you won’t see me anymore but then after a little while you will see me’?

20 I am telling you the truth: you will cry and be sad but the people of the world will be glad. You will be full of sorrow but your sorrow will change into joy.

21 "When a woman is giving birth, she has much pain. Her time has come. But after the child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering; she is so happy that a human being is born into the world. 22 You may have pain now but I will see you again. Your heart will be glad. No one will be able to take your joy away from you.

23 "At that time you will ask me no questions. I am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 24 Thus far you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask now and you will receive. Your joy will be complete. 25 I have used symbolic examples to tell you about these things. The time is coming when I will no longer use examples like that. I will speak plainly to you. I will tell you about the Father. 26 At that time you will use my name to ask for things. I am not saying that I will ask the Father for your sake.

27 "The Father Himself loves you, because you love me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I did come from the Father and I have come into the world. But now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

29 Jesus’ students said, "Listen, now you are talking plainly. You are not using figurative language anymore. 30 Now we know that you know everything! There is no need for anyone to ask you more questions. This is why we believe that you came from God." 31 Jesus asked them, "Do you really believe now? 32 Listen, the time is coming — it’s already here — when you will all be scattered, every man for himself. You will abandon me. However, I am really not alone; the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you so that you may have peace in me. You will have trouble in the world, but be strong; I have conquered the world."


Chapter 17

01 After Jesus said these things, he looked up to heaven and said,

"Father, the time has come. Bring glory to Your Son so that Your Son may bring glory to You. 02 You have given him authority over all mankind. To each one that You have given the Son You will give eternal life. 03 This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one whom You sent. 04 I have brought You glory on the earth. I finished the work which You gave me to do. 05 Now, Father, give me glory — the glory I had with You when I was with You before the world existed.

06 "I have revealed Your name to men. You gave these men to me from the world. They were Your people and You gave them to me. They have obeyed Your teaching. 07 They now know that everything You have given me comes from You. 08 I have given them the words which You gave me. They have received them. They knew I really did come from You. They believed that You sent me.

09 "I am praying for them, not for the world. I am praying for those people You have given me because they belong to You. 10 Everything that is mine is Yours. Everything that is Yours is mine too. In them I have received glory. 11 I am not in the world anymore, but they are in the world. I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given me. May they be united as we are.

12 "When I was with them, I was always keeping them in Your name, the name You have given me. I have protected them. Not one of them was lost — only the child of destruction; the Scripture must come true. 13 Now I am coming to You. I am saying these things in the world so that these men may have my complete joy in them. 14 I have given them Your message. The people of the world hated them because they don’t come from this world. I am not from this world either. 15 I do not pray that You take them out of the world — just keep them from the evil one. 16 I don’t come from the world; they don’t come from the world either. 17 Your message is the truth. May the truth make them holy! 18 I sent them into the world, just as You sent me into the world. 19 I keep myself holy for them, so that they will be holy by the truth.

20 "I pray not only for them, but also for the people who believe in me through their teaching. 21 May all of them be united, just as You are in me and I am in You, Father. I pray that they will be in us so that the people of the world may believe that You sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that You have given me. May they be one, as we are one: 23 I in them and You in me. May they be completely united so that the people of the world will know that You sent me and that You have given yourself to them, for their good, expecting nothing in return, as You have given yourself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return.

24 "Father, You gave Yourself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return, before the world was created. You have given me glory. I want them to see it. I want them to be with me where I will be. 25 Just Father, the people of the world do not know You, but I know You. These very men know that You sent me. 26 I revealed Your name to them and I will reveal it. I want them to have the same giving that You gave to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return. I want to be in them too."


Chapter 18

01 After Jesus had said these things, he and his students went across the brook Kidron to where there was a garden. They went into the garden. 02 Judas (the one who turned against Jesus) also knew the place. Jesus often met there with his students.

03 Then Judas took a group of soldiers and some temple guards sent by the most important priests and Pharisees. They had torches, lanterns, and weapons. 04 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. He stepped forward and said to them, "For whom are you looking?" 05 They answered him, "Jesus from Nazareth."

Jesus said to them, "I AM the one." Judas (the one who turned against Jesus) was standing there with them. 06 When Jesus said, "I AM the one", they drew back and fell to the ground. 07 Jesus asked them again, "Whom are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus from Nazareth." 08 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am the one. Since you are looking for me, let these men go free." 09 (Jesus said that to make this come true: "I have not lost one of those You have given me.")

10 Simon Peter had a sword. He struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. (The slave’s name was Malchus.) 11 Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its place! My Father has given me this cup of suffering. Shouldn’t I drink it?" 12 The commanding officer, his group of soldiers, and the Jewish temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.

13 They brought him first to Annas who was Caiaphas’ father-in-law. Caiaphas was the high priest that year. 14 (He had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be better for one man to die for all of the people.) 15 Simon Peter and another student went along behind Jesus, but the high priest knew the other student. This man went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 Peter stood outside at the gate. The other student, the one known to the high priest, went outside and told the gatekeeper to let Peter come in. 17 The girl who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, "You are one of this man’s students, aren’t you?" Peter answered, "I am not." 18 The slaves and the guards were standing around a fire because it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter stood with them and warmed himself too.

19 The high priest asked Jesus about his students and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken plainly to the world. I always taught where Jewish people gather — in the houses of worship and in the temple courtyard. I have said nothing secretly. 21 Why ask me? Ask those who heard me. Look, they know what I said." 22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards who was standing there struck Jesus with the palm of his hand. This man asked, "Is that the way to answer the high priest?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If I said something wrong, show me what it was. If it was good, then why did you slap me?" 24 Then Annas sent Jesus down to Caiaphas.

25 Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. Then they said to him, "You are one of Jesus’ students, aren’t you?" Peter said it was not true. He said, "I am not!" 26 One of the high priest’s slaves said, "I saw you with Jesus in the garden." (This man was a relative of Malchus. Peter had cut off Malchus’ ear.) 27 Peter denied it again. Immediately the rooster crowed.

28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman fortress. It was early in the morning. They didn’t go into the fortress. They didn’t want to be made unclean or they could not eat the Passover lamb. 29 So Pilate went outside where they were.

He asked, "What charge are you making against this man?" 30 They answered Pilate, "If he were not a criminal, we would not be giving him to you." 31 Pilate said to them, "You take him and judge him by your own law." Then the Jewish leaders said to him, "Under Roman law it is not legal for us to execute anyone." 32 (The Jewish leaders said this so that what Jesus said would come true. This was showing what kind of death Jesus was about to suffer.)

33 Pilate went back into the fortress. He called for Jesus and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did someone else tell you this about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? The leading priests and your own people turned you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not come from this world. If it did, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being arrested by the Jews. My kingdom is not from here."

37 Pilate said to him, "So then, you are a king!" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. The reason I was born, the reason why I have come into the world, is to give evidence for the truth. Every person who listens to my voice comes from the truth." 38 Pilate asked, "What is truth?" After this, Pilate went back out to the Jews. He said to them, "I find nothing with which to charge this man. 39 You have a custom that I set one prisoner free at each Passover time. You decide; should I set the King of the Jews free?" 40 They yelled, "No! Not this man! Set Barabbas free." (Barabbas was a robber.)


Chapter 19

01 Then Pilate took Jesus and had them whip him. 02 The soldiers made a crown out of thorny branches. They put it on Jesus’ head and put a purple robe on him. 03 They kept coming up to Jesus and saying, "Hail! O King of the Jews!" They hit him many times with their hands.

04 Pilate went back out and spoke to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you so that you will know that I find nothing wrong with him." 05 Then Jesus came out. He was wearing the thorny crown and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Look at the man!" 06 When the most important priests and the temple guards saw Jesus, they shouted, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!" Pilate said to them, "You take him and nail him to a cross! I find nothing wrong with him." 07 But the Jewish leaders answered him, "We have a law. According to the law, he must die because he made himself God’s Son!"

08 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 09 So Pilate went back into the fortress and asked Jesus, "Where do you come from?" Jesus did not give him an answer. 10 Then Pilate said to him, "Aren’t you speaking to me? Surely you must know I have authority to set you free and I have authority to nail you to a cross!"

11 Jesus answered Pilate, "You have no authority over me at all unless it has been given to you by God! That is why the people who gave me to you have even more guilt."

12 From this time on, Pilate tried hard to set Jesus free. But the Jewish leaders continued to yell, "If you set this man free, you are not Caesar’s friend! Anyone who makes himself a king is against Caesar!" 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. Pilate sat down on the judge’s seat. It was at a place called The Stone Pavement. (In the Aramaic language the name was Gabbatha.) 14 It was about noon on the day before the Passover. Pilate said to the Jews, "Look, your King!" 15 They yelled, "Take him away! Take him away! Nail him to a cross!" Pilate said to them, "Should I nail your King to a cross?" The most important priests answered, "The only king we have is Caesar!"

16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be nailed to the cross. So they took hold of Jesus. 17 Jesus was carrying his own cross. He went out to a place which was called The Skull. (In Aramaic it is Golgotha.) 18 This is where they nailed him to the cross, along with two other men. Jesus’ cross was between the crosses of the other two men.

19 Pilate made a sign and put it on Jesus’ cross. It read: JESUS FROM NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many Jewish people read this sign. This place was near the city of Jerusalem. The sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21 The most important Jewish priests kept saying to Pilate, "Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews’! Instead, you should write, ‘This man said, "I am the King of the Jews."‘" 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written stays written!"

23 After the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the cross, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts — one for each soldier — but the robe remained in one piece. This robe was seamless, completely made of one piece of woven cloth. 24 They said to one another, "Let’s not tear it. Let’s gamble for it, to see who will get it!" This happened to make this Scripture come true: "They divided my clothes among them. They gambled for my clothing." That is what the soldiers did.

25 Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary from the town of Magdala, stood near the cross. 26 Jesus saw his mother and the student to whom he had given himself, for his good, expecting nothing in return, standing there. He said to his mother, "Woman, look at your son." 27 Then Jesus said to that student, "Look at your mother." From that moment on that student took her into his home.

28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was finished, he said this to make the Scripture come true: "I am thirsty." 29 There was a jar full of sour wine nearby. So they soaked a sponge in it and put it on a long stick. Then they brought this to Jesus’ mouth. 30 After Jesus drank some of it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and died.

31 The Jewish leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses during the Sabbath. This Sabbath was a very high holy one. So since it was the preparation day, they asked Pilate to hurry their death by breaking their legs. Then they could carry them away. Pilate allowed it. 32 The soldiers came to the first man and broke his legs, and then to the other man who had been nailed to a cross too. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that Jesus was already dead. They did not break his legs 34 but one of the soldiers did plunge his spear into Jesus’ side. Immediately, blood and water flowed out.

35 The person who saw it has given proof. His testimony is true. He knows he is speaking the truth. You can believe too. 36 These things happened to make this Scripture come true: "Not one of his bones will be broken." 37 Another Scripture says, "They will look upon the one they wounded."

38 After this, Joseph, a man from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body away. Joseph was a secret student of Jesus because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. Pilate allowed Joseph to do this. Then Joseph came and took Jesus’ body away. 39 Nicodemus came too. (Earlier he had come to Jesus at night.) He mixed myrrh and aloes together and brought about 34 kilograms of it. 40 The two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in sheets with the sweet-smelling spices. (This is the way Jews bury their dead.)

41 The place where Jesus was nailed to the cross was next to a garden. The garden had a new tomb in it. No one had been put there yet. 42 There was not much time — it was the preparation day. So because the tomb was near, they placed Jesus in it.


Chapter 20

01 It was very early morning on the first day of the week. It was still dark. Mary (the one from Magdala) came to the tomb. She saw the stone moved away from the tomb. 02 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and the other student whom Jesus loved. She said to them, "They have taken away the Lord Jesus from the tomb! We don’t know where they put him!"

03 Then Peter and the other student left. They went to the tomb. 04 Both of them were running but the other student outran Peter. He arrived at the tomb first. 05 He bent down and saw the sheets but he did not go inside. 06 Then Simon Peter came, following. Peter went into the tomb; he also saw the sheets lying there. 07 But the handkerchief, which had been on Jesus’ face, was not lying with the sheets. Instead, it was all alone, folded in one place.

08 Then the other student, who had come to the tomb first, also went in. He saw and he believed. 09 (They did not yet clearly know the Scripture which said that Jesus must rise from death.) 10 The two students went back home.

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb, crying while she was praying. She bent down and looked into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus’ body had been lying — one at the head and one at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She answered them, "They took my Lord away. I don’t know where they put him." 14 After she said this, she turned around. She saw Jesus standing there but she didn’t know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Thinking that Jesus was the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you carried him off, tell me where you put him and I will take him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Jesus in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (This word means ‘My Teacher!’) 17 Jesus said to her, "Don’t cling to me; I have not yet gone up to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them this: ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.’" 18 Mary (the one from Magdala) went and told the students, "I have seen the Lord Jesus!" She told them that he had talked to her.

19 It was evening that same first day of the week. The doors were locked where the students were gathered. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood in the middle of them. He said to them, "Peace be to you." 20 After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the students saw the Lord Jesus, they were happy. 21 Then Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you. I am sending you just as the Father has sent me." 22 After Jesus said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you say some people are forgiven, then they are forgiven. But if you say that the sins of some people are not forgiven, then they are not forgiven."

24 Thomas, (the one called The Twin) was one of the twelve students. He was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other students continued to tell him, "We have seen the Lord Jesus!" Thomas said to them, "I will never believe it unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, unless I put my finger into the marks of the nails, unless I put my hand into his side!"

26 A week later, Jesus’ students were inside again. Thomas was with them too. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood in the middle of them and said, "Peace to you." 27 Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Look at my hands! Put your finger here. Bring your hand here and put it in my side. Stop doubting and start believing!" 28 Thomas answered Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "You have believed because you have seen me. The blessed ones are those who have not seen me and yet who believe."

30 Jesus showed many more proofs from God in front of his students but these are not written in this book. 31 These proofs have been written so that you, the reader, might believe this: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. If you believe this, you will have life by his name.


Chapter 21

01 Later Jesus showed himself again to the students at Lake Tiberias. This is the way he showed himself:

02 Simon Peter, Thomas (the one called The Twin), Nathanael (the one from the town of Cana in the Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two more students were all together. 03 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are coming with you." They went out and got into a boat. They caught nothing that night.

04 It was now early in the morning. Jesus stood on the shore, but the students didn’t know that it was Jesus. 05 Jesus said to them, "Young men, you haven’t caught anything, have you?" They answered, "That’s right." 06 Jesus said to them, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some fish." They did so. There were so many fish that they were no longer able to pull the net into the boat.

07 Then the student to whom Jesus gave himself, for his good, said to Peter, "That is the Lord Jesus!" When Simon Peter heard this, he put on his clothes (he was stripped) and he jumped into the lake. 08 They were near the shore, about 90 meters away. The other students came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

09 When they got to shore, they saw hot coals with some fish and bread cooking on them. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." 11 Simon Peter got into the boat and dragged the net to shore. The net was full of big fish — 153 of them! As large as they were, the net was still not torn.

12 Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast!" None of the students dared to ask Jesus, "Who are you?" They knew that he was the Lord. 13 Jesus went and got some bread and fish. He gave it to them.

14 This was now the third time that Jesus showed himself to the students after he was raised from death. 15 After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you give yourself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return, more than these?" Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 Jesus asked Peter the second time, "Simon, son of John, do you give yourself to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return?" Peter said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Be a shepherd to my sheep." 17 Jesus asked him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was sad, because the third time Jesus asked, "Do you love me?" Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!" Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

18 "I am telling you the truth, Peter, when you were young, you tied your own belt and you walked where you wanted to go. But when you get old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you. They will carry you where you don’t want to go." 19 (Jesus said this to show what kind of death would be used for Peter to bring glory to God.) After Jesus said this, he said to Peter, "Follow me!"

20 Peter turned and saw the student coming behind them. (This was the man to whom Jesus gave himself, for his good, expecting nothing in return, the one who had been sitting at the table very close to Jesus who asked, "Lord, who is the one who is turning against you?") 21 When Peter saw this man, he said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If I want him to stay until I come, what business is it of yours? You follow me!" 23 So this rumor went out to the brothers: "That student will not die." But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. Jesus said, "If I want him to stay until I come, what business is it of yours?"

24 He is the student who wrote these things. He is the one who is giving proof about these things. We know that his testimony is true. 25 There are many things which Jesus did. If each one of them were written down, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books which could be written.


• Copyright © 2002 Galilee Translation Project Team •
1