This is a personal translation of John's Gospel and Paul,s letter to the Ephesians with selected verses from other books of the New Testament. The purpose is to serve as an introduction to the New Testament in modern English. The Essential New Testament is a copyright-free translation that may be used and distributed for private or commercial purposes, and may be quoted, copied, printed, and republished without permission, fee, or credit, as long as the words of the text are not changed or copyrighted.

essence - (es'ens) n 1. The properties of a thing that make it what it is: fundamental nature. 2. The most important element. 3. A concentrate of a substance. 4. A perfume.

These New Testament Scriptures have been chosen because they comprise the essence of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as a full declaration of the inseparable love and irrevocable salvation that every believer can be assured of through faith in Him.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is the One who was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men; the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came to be a witness, that he might witness concerning the Light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the Light, but bore witness to the light.

This was the true Light that enlightens every man that was coming into the world. He was in the world and the world came into being through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him; but to as many as received Him, He gave them the right to become the children of God, to those believing in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as an only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John witnessed about Him and cried out saying, "This is the man of whom I said, 'The One coming after me is above me, because He existed before me.'"

Out of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man has ever seen God. The only begotten Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, is the One who reveals Him.

And this is the witness of John: when Jews from Jerusalem were sent to him, priests and Levites, they asked him, "Who are you?" He confessed, not denying in his confession, "I am not the Christ." And so they asked him, "What then, are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you, so we may give an answer to the ones who sent us; what do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said." Then the ones sent by the Pharisees asked him, "Then why do you baptize if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet?" Answering them, John said, "I baptized with water, but among you stands One whom you do not know, the One who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy to loosen the laces of His sandal." These things happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The next day, seeing Jesus coming toward him, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said: 'After me a Man will come who is above me, because He existed before me.' I did not know Him, but in order that He might be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water." And John further witnessed, saying, "I have seen the Spirit coming down as a dove out of heaven, and He remained on Him. I did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit coming down and remaining on Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and have witnessed that this is the Son of God."

The following day John stood again with two of his disciples. Watching Jesus walking up he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Hearing him speak, the two disciples followed Jesus. Turning around and seeing them following Him, Jesus said to them, "What are you seeking?" They said, "Rabbi (meaning Teacher), Where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying and stayed with Him that day. It was about ten in the morning.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, one of the two who heard John and followed Him, found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (meaning Christ), and led him to Jesus. Looking at him Jesus said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah; you shall be called Cephas (meaning Peter)."

The next day, wanting to go to Galilee, He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip then found Nathaniel and said to him, "We have found the One written about by Moses in the Law and by the Prophets: Jesus, the son of Joseph, the One from Nazareth." Nathaniel said to him, "Is it possible for anything good to come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus, seeing Nathaniel coming toward Him, said of him, "Behold, truly, an Israelite in whom is no deceit!" Nathaniel said to Him, "From where do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathaniel said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? Greater things than these will you see." And He said to him, "Very certainly I say to you, the day is coming when you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and His disciples were invited. When they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no more wine." Jesus said to her, "What is that between you and me, woman? My hour is not yet come." His mother told the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do." There were six stone water jars lying there according to the Jewish purification rites, each holding two or three measures. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water," so they filled them to the top. He then said to them, "Draw some out and give it to the head steward," so they brought it to him. When he tasted it, the water had become wine. He did no know where it came from even though the servants knew. Calling the bridegroom, he said to him, "Everyone else sets out the good wine first, and when they have drunk, then the inferior, but you have kept the good wine until last." This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, revealing His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

After this He went down to Capernaum, He and his mother, brothers, and disciples. And they stayed there for a few days. As the Passover of the Jews was nearing, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. There He found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, together with money changers sitting there. Making a whip out of cords He drove them all out of the temple, the sheep, oxen, and money changers. He scattered the coins and overturned the tables. To those selling doves He said, "Take these out of here; do not make my Father's house a marketplace!" Then His disciples remembered that it had been written, "The zeal for Your house will consume Me." The Jews responded, saying to Him, "What sign will You show us since You do these things?" Jesus answered, "Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it." The Jews said, "For forty-six years this temple has been under construction and You will raise it in three days?" But He was speaking about the temple of His body. When He was raised from the dead His disciples remembered that He said this and believed the Scripture and the words which Jesus spoke.

When He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, many believed in His name after seeing the signs He was doing. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them because He knew them all and needed no one to tell Him about men, for He Himself knew what was inside man.

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, who was a ruler of the Jews. He came to Him at night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God, because no one could do the signs you have done if God were not with him." Jesus answered him, "Very certainly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He is not able to enter his mother's womb to be born a second time, is he?" Jesus answered, "Very certainly I say to you, unless a person is born of water and Spirit, he is unable to enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not be amazed when I tell you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know from where it came or to where it is going. So it is with anyone who has been born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to Him, "How is this possible?" Jesus answered him, "You are a teacher of Israel and you do not know about this? Very certainly I say to you, what We know about We speak of, and what We have seen We testify to, yet you do not receive Our testimony. If I tell you earthly things and you do not believe, why should I tell you heavenly things? Will you believe them?

"No one has gone up into heaven except the One who came down, the Son of Man, who is from heaven. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. The believer in Him is not condemned, but the unbeliever has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

"And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, but people have loved darkness more than the Light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and will not come to it, because it exposes their evil deeds. But those who are of the truth come to the Light, so that it may be shown that their deeds are done through God."

After this Jesus and His disciples came into the Judean country where He was spending time with them and baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aeon near Salem, because there was a lot of water there, so many were coming to be baptized. John had not yet been thrown into prison. A dispute arose between John's disciples and a Jew about purification. They came to John and said to him. "He who was with you beyond the Jordan, whom you testified about, is baptizing and everyone is coming to Him." John answered, "No man is able to receive anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You can testify yourselves that I said. 'I am not the Christ, but have been sent before Him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands near and hears him, rejoices at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

"The One who comes from above is above all. The one from the earth is of the earth and can only speak of earthly things. The One who is above all comes from heaven. What He has seen and heard there He testifies about, yet no one accepts His testimony. Whoever accepts His testimony seals the fact that God is true. He who is sent by God speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit in unlimited measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life, for the wrath of God remains upon him."

4 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away into Galilee. It was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. The well of Jacob was there, so Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was sitting by the well. It was about six in the evening.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." His disciples had gone into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who the One saying to you, 'Give me a drink' is, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." The woman said to Him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep, how will You get this living water? Surely you are not greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it, as well his sons and livestock?" Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give him will certainly never thirst again, but the water I give him will become a fountain of water within him springing up into eternal life." The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water so that I will not get thirsty or have to come here to draw."

Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband here." The woman answered, "I do not have a husband." Jesus said to her, "Well you say, 'I do not have a husband,' for you have had five husbands and the one you have now is not your husband. You have told the truth." The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain but you say that Jerusalem in the proper place to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, a time is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know because salvation is of the Jews. That coming time is now, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth; yes, for the Father is seeking such ones to worship Him. For God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth." The woman said to Him. "I know the Messiah is coming," (called Christ). "When He comes He will tell us everything." Jesus said to her, "I am He, who speaks to you."

At this point the disciples came back and wondered why He was speaking to a woman; however, no one said, "Who do you seek?" or "Why are you speaking to her?" The woman then left the water jar and went into the city and said to the men there, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have done; is this not the Christ?" They left the city and were approaching as His disciples entreated Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." Because of this the disciples were saying to one another, "No one has brought Him something to eat, have they?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and finish His work. Why say, 'There are still four more months before harvest?' Behold, I say to you, 'Lift up your eyes and see the fields, that they are already white for harvest.' And the one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the one sowing and the one reaping may rejoice together. For the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap for that which you have not labored; others have labored and you are harvesting their work."

And so many of the Samaritans from that city believed in Him because the woman testified, "He told me everything I have done." When the Samaritans came to Him they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His words. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said, but we believe ourselves, for we have heard and know that this is truly the Savior of the world, the Messiah."

After two days He left there and went into Galilee. Jesus Himself testified that a prophet is not honored in His own country. But when He came into Galilee, the Galileans received Him because they had seen everything that He had done at the feast in Jerusalem, for they had gone to the feast.

Jesus then came into Cana of Galilee again where He had turned the water into wine. There was an aristocrat there whose son was sick in Capernaum. Having heard that Jesus had come from Judea, he went to Him and asked Him if He would come down and heal his son because his son was about to die. Jesus said to him, "Unless I show you signs and wonders you will certainly not believe." The aristocrat said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" Jesus said to him, "Go, your son lives." The man believed the words Jesus spoke, and went on his way. As he was returning his servants met him and reported, saying, "Your child lives!" So he asked them, "From what hour did he get better?" They answered, "Yesterday, at seven the fever left him." The father realized that this was the same hour that Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." He and his entire household believed. This was the second sign Jesus did after coming into Galilee.

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem there is a pool at the Sheep Gate called in Hebrew, Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these porticoes a great many sick people were lying--the blind, lame, and paralyzed--waiting for the stirring of the water. An angel from time to time would come down to the pool and stir the water. The first ones who jumped in after the stirring of the water were healed of whatever disease they were suffering from. There was a man with a disease who had been there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, knowing how long he had been there in that condition, He said, "Do you wish to become well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I do not have a man to put me into the pool when it is stirred up. Every time I try to jump in, another gets in before me." Jesus said to him, "Arise, take up your mattress and walk." Immediately the man became well and took up his mattress and walked.

This was on the Sabbath day, so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "This is the Sabbath and it is unlawful for you to carry your mattress." He answered them, "The One who healed me said to me, 'Take up your mattress and walk.' " They asked him, "Who is this man who said to you, "Take up you mattress and walk?" The man who was healed did not know who He was, for Jesus had left because of the crowd there. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple said to him, "See, you have become well. Sin no more so that nothing worse happens to you." The man then went back and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the One who had healed him.

This is why the Jews persecuted Jesus and were seeking to kill Him, because He healed on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now and so I work." So the Jews were even more determined to kill Him, not only because He was breaking the Sabbath, but because He called God His Father, making Himself equal to God.

Jesus then said to them, "Very certainly I say to you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself, except what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does as well. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things which He Himself does, and greater works than these will He show Him, so that you will be amazed. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son also gives life to whomever He wills. Neither does the Father judge anyone, but gives all judgment to the Son so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

"Very certainly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in the One who sent Me has eternal life. They will not come into judgment, but have passed out of death into life. Very certainly I say to you, the hour is coming, and is here now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. Just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gave the Son life to have in Himself, and has also given Him the authority to judge because He is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this because the hour is coming when those in their graves will hear His voice and will come out, those who did good things to the resurrection of life, and those who did evil to the resurrection of condemnation. I do nothing of Myself. Just as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is right, because I do not seek My will, but the Father's who sent Me.

"If I testify about Myself, My testimony is invalid, but another testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is true. You have inquired of John and he has testified to the truth. I did not receive this testimony from men, but I say these things to you so that you may be saved. He was a burning, shining lamp, and you wanted to rejoice for a time in his light. But I have a testimony greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave Me to finish, these works themselves testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. And He who sent Me, the Father Himself, has also testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice or ever seen His form, nor do you have His Word living in you, because you do not believe Him whom He has sent.

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness to Me, yet you refuse to come to Me in order that you might have life. I do not receive glory from men. But I have come to know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father's name and you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name you will receive him. How can you believe if you receive glory from one another and do not seek glory from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you hope. If you believed Moses you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me, but if you do not believe his writings, how can you believe My words?"

6 After this Jesus went away beyond the Sea of Galilee to Tiberius. A large crowd was following Him because they saw the signs He was doing for those who were sick. Jesus went up to the mountain and there He sat down with His disciples. It was now near the Passover, the feast of the Jews. Raising His eyes, Jesus saw that a large crowd was coming to Him, and He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread so these people can eat?" (He said this to test Philip, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do). Philip answered Him, "Two hundred dollars worth of bread is not enough for them, so each would receive even a small piece." One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Him, "There is a little boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish, but what are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have them sit down." There was a lot of grass there, so about five thousand of them sat down. Jesus then took the loaves of bread and having given thanks He distributed them to His disciples, who gave them to those who were sitting, and the fish also, as much as they desired. When they were full, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be wasted." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five loaves of barley bread left over from those who had eaten.

After seeing these signs which Jesus did, the people said, "Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to seize Him to make Him king, withdrew into the mountains by Himself alone. When evening came His disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and were going across to Capernaum. Darkness had already come but Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing them around. Having rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, approaching the boat, and they were afraid. He said to them, "I am He; do not be afraid." They then gladly welcomed Him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to the land where they were going.

The next day the crowd was still on the opposite side of the sea. They saw that the boat the disciples had embarked in was gone and that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with them. The disciples had gone away by themselves. So when the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were still at the place where the Lord gave thanks for the bread they ate, near Tiberias, they got into boats and crossed over to Capernaum, looking for Him. Finding Jesus across the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them, "Very certainly I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate from the loaves of bread and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, the One whom God the Father has set His seal upon."

They said to Him, "What should we do so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the One whom He has sent." They then said to Him, "Then what sign can You do so that we can see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'Bread out of heaven He gave them to eat.'" Jesus said to them, "Very certainly I say to you, Moses did not give bread out of heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is the One who comes out of heaven and gives life to the world." They answered Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me shall never hunger, and the one who believes in Me shall never thirst. But you have both seen and heard Me, yet you do not believe.

"Everyone whom the Father gives Me will come to Me, and no one who comes to me will ever be cast out. Because of this I have come down out of heaven, not to do My will, but the will of the One who sent Me. Now this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all those He has give Me I should lose none, but will raise them up on the last day. And this is the will of the One who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I shall raise them up on the last day."

Therefore the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven." So they were saying, "Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can He say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?" Therefore Jesus answered them saying, "Do not complain among yourselves. No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me should draw them, and I will raise them up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, 'And all will be taught by God.' So everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to Me. No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father."

"Very certainly I say to you, the one who believes in Me has eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread that comes out of heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread they will live throughout the ages. Indeed, the bread which I shall give is My flesh, which I give as life on behalf of the world." Therefore the Jews were arguing with one another, saying, "How is this man able to give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus then said to them, "Very certainly I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day, for My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so too the one who partakes of Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven, unlike the manna your fathers ate and died. Whoever eats this bread will live throughout the ages." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many of His disciples who heard this said, "These are hard words, who is able to listen to them?" Because Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples were complaining about this, He said to them, "Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? The Spirit gives life; the flesh benefits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and Life. There are some among you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who would disbelieve and who would betray Him. And He said, "Because of this I have said to you that no one is able to come to Me unless it is granted him by my Father."

From that time on many of His disciples turned back and would no longer walk with Him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you wish to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have come to know and believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." He answered him, "Have I not chosen you twelve, yet one of you is a devil?" Here He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Even though he was one of the twelve, he was intending to hand Him over.

7 After this Jesus traveled in Galilee. He did not wish to go through Judea because the Jews there were seeking to kill Him. It was near the time of the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples may also see the works which You are doing; for no one who wants to be well known does anything in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world." For not even His brothers believed in Him. Therefore Jesus said to them, "My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world is unable to hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that it's works are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to the feast yet because My time has not been fulfilled." Having said this to them He remained in Galilee. After his brothers went up then He also went up to the feast--not openly, but privately.

The Jews were looking for Him at the feast, saying, "Where is that man?" And there was much discussion about Him among the crowds, some saying, "He is a good man." Others were saying, "No, but He deceives the people." No one, however, spoke openly about Him because of the fear of the Jews.

In the middle of the feast Jesus went into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were amazed, saying, "How does this man know the writings without an education?" Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not Mine but the One's who sent Me. If anyone desires to do His will, he will know about this teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from Myself. The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but the One who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and in Him there is no unrighteousness. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you seeking to kill Me?" The crowd answered Him, "You must have a demon; who is seeking to kill you?"

Jesus answered them, "I did a single work and you all marvel. Because Moses gave you circumcision (not from Moses, really, but from the fathers) you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man is circumcised on the Sabbath so the law of Moses is not broken, how can you be angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but make judgments that are right and just."

Some of those of Jerusalem were saying, "Is this not the One they are seeking to kill? And look, He is speaking openly but they are saying nothing to Him! Could it be that the rulers found out that this really is the Christ? However, we know where this man is from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where He is from."

So Jesus cried out as He taught in the Temple, saying, "You both know Me and know where I am from? I have not come from Myself, but am sent by the One who is true, whom you do not know. I know Him because I am from Him, and He sent Me." So they were seeking to arrest Him but no one laid a hand on Him because His hour had not yet come. But many of the people believed in Him and were saying, "When the Messiah comes, He will not do more signs than this man did, will He?" The Pharisees heard the crowd discussing these things about Him, so the Pharisees and high priests sent attendants to arrest Him.

Then Jesus said to them, "I will be with you a short time and then I will go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me; and where I am, you are not able to come." So the Jews said among themselves, "Where does this man intend to go where we will not find Him? He is not going into the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is He? What is this about which He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you are not able to come?'"

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, just as the Scripture says, 'From deep within him will flow streams of living water.'" He said this about the Spirit whom those who believed in Him were about to receive. They had not yet been given the Holy Spirit because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Hearing these words many of the people said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." Still others asked, "But the Messiah does not come out of Galilee, does He? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David, and from the town of David, Bethlehem?" So a division occurred among the people because of Him, and some wanted them to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.

The attendants went back and the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, "Why did you not bring Him?" The attendants answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived? None of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed in Him, have they? This crowd does not even know the law; they are accursed."

Nicodemus, the man who came to Him by night and was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it first hears from him and finds out what he is doing?" They answered, "You are not also from Galilee are you? Search and see if a prophet has ever risen out of Galilee." Everyone then went home to his own house.
8 And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

Early in the morning Jesus went into the temple. All the people were coming to Him, and He sat down and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought Him a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placed her in their midst. They said to Him, "Teacher, we found this woman in the very act of committing adultery. In our law, Moses commanded that such should be stoned. So what do You say about her?" They said this to test Him, so that they might have something to accuse Him of.

But Jesus bending down, began to write on the ground with His finger while they were questioning Him. He looked up and said, "Whoever of you is without sin, let him throw the first stone at her." And again He bent down and wrote on the ground. Those who heard this began to leave one by one, beginning from the oldest to the youngest. Standing up, Jesus saw that only He and the woman remained, and He said, "Woman, where are your accusers; does no one condemn you?" And she said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on sin no more."

Then Jesus came to them again and said, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows Me will certainly not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; that invalidates Your testimony." Jesus answered, "Even if I testify about Myself, my testimony is true because I know from where I came and to where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I do not judge anyone. But even if I were to judge, My judgment is true because I am not alone, for I am with the Father who sent Me. It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is valid. I testify about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me as well."

They said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me you would know My Father as well." Jesus spoke these sayings in the treasury while teaching in the temple, and no one seized Him because His hour had not yet come.

Then Jesus again said to them, "I am going away and you will seek Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you are not able come." So the Jews said, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going you are not able to come'?" And He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above. You are from this world. I am not from this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

They then said to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "Exactly what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have many things to say and judge about you, but He who sent Me is true, and what I heard from Him is what I tell the world."

They did not know that He was speaking to them about the Father, so Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and do nothing from Myself, but speak just as My Father has taught Me. And the One who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone because I always do what is pleasing to Him."

As He said these things many believed in Him. Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring. and have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Very certainly I say to you, anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house throughout the ages but the Son remains throughout the ages. So if the Son makes you free, you will truly be free.

"I know that you are Abraham's offspring but you seek to kill Me because My word finds no place in you. What I have seen from My Father I speak of, and you, what you have seen from your father, you do." They answered Him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were children of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham. But instead you seek to kill Me, a Man who has spoken to you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You are doing the deeds of your father."

Then they said to Him, "We have not been born illegitimately. We have one Father--God." So Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father you would love Me because I have come from and am here from God. I have not come of Myself, but He has sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying to you? Because you cannot bear to listen to Me. The father you are from is the devil and you wish to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and he has not stood in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies. Because I speak the truth you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? If I am speaking the truth, why do you not believe Me?

"The One who is from God hears the words of God, but you do not hear them because you are not from God." The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say well that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus answered them, "I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. I am not seeking My glory. There is One who judges and sees to that. Very certainly I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste death throughout the ages."

Therefore the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste death.'You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are You? The prophets died as well. Who are you making Yourself out to be?" Jesus answered them, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father who is glorifying Me of whom you say, 'He is our God.' And yet you do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I do not know Him I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and I keep His word as well. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the prospect of seeing My day. He saw it and was happy." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty and You have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Very certainly I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I Am." So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus went out of the temple, being hidden as He passed through their midst.

9 And passing by, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in Him. It is necessary for Me to perform the works of Him who sent Me while it is still day. Night is coming when no one is able to work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world." After He had said this He spit on the ground, made clay from His saliva, and applied the clay to the eyes of the blind man. Then He said to him, "Go wash in the pool of Siloam (which means Having Been Sent)." So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

His neighbors and others who had seen that he was blind said, "Is this not the man who sat and begged?" Some said, "This is him." But others said, "He just looks like him." But the man kept saying, "I am he!" So they asked him, "How were your eyes opened?" He answered them, "A man called Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and said, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' When I went and washed I received my sight." They said to him, "Where is this man?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought him who was formerly blind to the Pharisees. It was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees also asked him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, I washed, and I see." So some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath." Others were saying, "How can a sinful man to do such things?" And so a division arose among them.

They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?" And he said, "He is a prophet." The Jews did not believe that he was born blind then received his sight, so they called his parents and asked them, "Is this your son whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. He is of age, ask him; he can speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed to expel anyone from the synagogue who confessed Him as the Messiah.

Therefore they called the man who was born blind a second time and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this Man is a sinner." He answered them, "Whether He is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind but now I see." And they said to him again, "What did He do to you. How did He open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples also?" They denounced him saying, "You are a disciple of that man but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but this person, we do not know where He comes from." The man answered them, "This is remarkable that you do not know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears them. Throughout the ages no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of someone who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He would be able to do nothing." They answered and said to him, "You were born completely in sins, and you teach us?" And they threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out and finding him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" Jesus said to him, "That One is He whom you have seen and is also speaking to you." And he said, "I believe, Lord!" And he worshiped Him.

And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see, may see, and those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this and asked Him, "We are not blind as well, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind you would not have sinned; but now, since you say, 'we see,' your sin remains."

10 "Very certainly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in another way is a thief and a robber. He who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And whenever he brings out his own sheep, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will certainly not follow a stranger but will run from him because they do not know a stranger's voice."

Jesus used this figure of speech with them but they did not know what He was talking about. So again Jesus said to them, "Very certainly I say to you that I am the door of the sheep. All who came before were thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me they will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, so he leaves the sheep and runs away when he see the wolf coming, allowing the wolf to catch the sheep and scatter them. The hired hand runs away because he is a just hired hand and does not really care about the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd; I know My own and My own know Me. Just as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold that I must gather as well. And they too will hear My voice, so that there will be one flock with one shepherd.

"This is why the Father loves Me: because I lay down My life so I can raise it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down Myself. I have the power to lay it down and the power to raise it up. This command I received from My Father."

So again a division took place among the Jews over these words. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is raving mad. Why do you listen to Him?" Others said, "These are not the words of someone who is demon possessed. It is not possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?"

It was now winter at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon, the Jews surrounded Him and said, "How long will you hold up our lives? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe. The works which I do in the name of My Father, they testify about Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. It is just as I have said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and the Father are One."

Then the Jews again took up stones to stone Him. Jesus confronted them, "I have shown you many good works from My Father, on account of which ones do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him saying, "For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God." Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods.' If He called them gods to whom the Word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), then why do you say to the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God?' If I am not doing the works of My Father do not believe Me. But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe Me, believe in the works, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him." So they tried to seize Him again but He escaped through their hands.

And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there. Many who came to Him said, "Even though John did no signs, everything he said about this man is true." And so many there believed in Him.

11 Now a certain man, Lazarus of Bethany, from the village of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with myrrh and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother was sick. So these sisters sent word to Him saying, "Lord, he whom You love is sick." Hearing this Jesus said, "This sickness is not for death but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." And Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.

But when He heard that he was sick, He stayed where He was for two more days. After this He said to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone You, and You are going back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day he does not stumble because he sees the light of the world. But if anyone walks in the night he stumbles, because the light is not in him." After He said this to them, He told them, "Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep, but I am going to awaken him." Then His disciples said, "If he has fallen asleep, he will be fine." Jesus was talking about his death, but they thought that he was speaking about the resting of sleep. So Jesus said to them frankly, "Lazarus died. And I am happy for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Then Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."

So when He arrived, Jesus found that he had already been in the tomb for four days. Now this was in Bethany near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them about their brother.

Martha went out to meet Jesus when she heard that He was coming, while Mary stayed in the house. Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you were here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that anything You ask God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even though he may die, he will live. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

And after she had said this, she went out and called her sister, Mary, privately, saying, "The Teacher is here and is calling you." When she heard this she jumped up and came to Him. Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still where Martha had met Him. When the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw that Mary jumped up and went out, they followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

Then Mary, when she came to Jesus, seeing Him, fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord if you were here my brother would not have died." So Jesus, when He saw her weeping and the Jews accompanying her weeping, was troubled and deeply moved. And He said, "Where have you put him?" They said, "Come and see."

Jesus wept. Therefore the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not this One who opened the eyes of the blind, do something so this man would not have died?"

Jesus again felt deeply moved within Himself as He came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone lying over it. Jesus said, "Take the stone away." Martha, the sister of the one who died, said, "Lord, it is the fourth day already; there will be an odor." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" They then took away the stone from where the one who died was lying. And Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I knew that You always hear Me, but because of those standing here I have said this, so that they may believe that You sent Me." And after saying this He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" And the one who died came out, having been bound hand and feet with grave clothes, with a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary saw what He did and believed in Him. But some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus did. So the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What are we going to do about this? This man does so many signs that if we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our nation and place of worship." And one of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing. You never even considered that it is better for one man to die on behalf of the people, rather than the whole nation should perish." He did not say this from himself, but because he was the high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die, not just for the nation, but for all the scattered children of God, to gather them into one family. From that day on they made plans to kill Him.

Because of this, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews. He left for a country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples. It was near the time of the Jewish Passover. Many came up to Jerusalem from the countryside to purify themselves before the Passover. As they stood around in the temple talking to one another they looked for Jesus, asking, "What do you think? He surely would not come to the feast would He?" Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees gave an order that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so they could seize Him.

12 Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, went to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one who died and He raised from the dead. There they made Him a dinner. Martha was serving, with Lazarus among those sitting and eating with Him. Mary took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Then Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, one of His disciples who was about to hand Him over, said, "Why could this perfume not be sold for three hundred dollars and given to the poor?" He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money box and stole from what was placed in it. But Jesus said, "Let her be, for she was saving it for the day of My burial. You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me."

A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not just to see Him, but to also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests decided that they had to kill Lazarus as well because so many of the Jews were coming and believing in Jesus because of him.

The next day the large crowd that had attended the feast, upon hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. The King of Israel!" And finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your king is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey." At first His disciples did not understand, but when Jesus was glorified they remembered that this was written about Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

All those who were with Him when He raised Lazarus from the dead and called him out of the tomb were telling everyone. On account of this the crowds came out to meet Him, because they heard of this sign that He had done. So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, your efforts have done nothing. Look how the world has gone off after Him!"

There were some Greeks who had gone up to worship at the feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip came and spoke to Andrew and both Andrew and Philip spoke to Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very certainly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there will My servant be also. And if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

"Now My soul has become troubled, so what should I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But it is for this hour that I came. Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have glorified it and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it but some were saying that it thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."

Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come about for My sake but for yours. Now the judgment of the world is this: the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth will draw all peoples to Myself." He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.

The crowd answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains into the ages. So how can you say, 'It is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?'" Jesus said to them, "For a short time the light is still with you. Walk while you have the light so darkness does not overtake you, because whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light." Having spoken this, Jesus was hidden from them as He departed.

But even though He did so many signs right in front of them, they still did not believe in Him, so that the words of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which said, "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" They were unable to believe because as Isaiah the prophet again said, "He has blinded their eyes, and He has hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." Isaiah said these things when he saw His glory and spoke about Him.

All the same, however, even many of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not admit it, so they would not be expelled from the synagogue. They loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me but in the One who sent Me. And whoever sees Me, sees the One who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me should not live in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. Whoever rejects Me and does not receive My teachings has this as his judge: My spoken words, they will judge him on the last day. Because I did not speak from Myself, but the Father who sent Me has given Me commands about what to say and what to speak of. And I know that His command is eternal life. Therefore, whatever the Father has told Me to say, I say."

13 Now before the Feast of the Passover Jesus knew that His hour had come and He would depart from this world to His Father, having loved His own who were in the world; to the end He loved them. And after supper--the devil having already having put into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to hand Him over--Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came from God and He was going to God, rose from the supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciple's feet and dry them with the towel with which He was wrapped. When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, "Lord, you are washing my feet?" Jesus answered him, "You do not realize what I am doing to you now, but later you will understand." Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet, ever!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "The one who has been bathed does not need to be washed except for his feet, but is completely clean, and clean you are, but not all of you." For He knew who would hand Him over, so He said, "Not all of you are clean."

So when He had washed their feet, taken His clothes, and sat back down, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and well you say, for so I am. Therefore, if I, your Teacher and Lord, wash your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example, so that just as I have done, you should do also. Very certainly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I do not speak about all of you. I know those whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'The one eating bread with Me, lifted up his heel against Me.' From now on I tell you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I am He. Very certainly I say to you, the one who receives whom I send, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives the One who sent Me."

When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in His spirit, and testified, saying, "Very certainly I say to you, that one of you will hand me over." The disciples looked at one another, but were at a loss about whom He was speaking. Now one of His disciples was leaning against Him, the one whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter nodded to him to find out who He was talking about. And so falling back against His chest, he asked Him, "Who is it, Lord?" Jesus answered, "It is the one for whom I will dip a piece of bread and give it to." And after dipping the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

And after the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "Do what you do quickly." But none of those sitting to eat knew why He had said to this to him. Some were thinking that since Judas had the money box Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. So he went out immediately after taking the piece of bread. By then it was night.

As he left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him. If God has been glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself. He will glorify Him right now. Little children, I am with you but for a short time. You will seek Me, but just as I said to the Jews, I say to you now: 'Where I am going you are not able to come.'"

"A new command I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you are not able to follow Me now, but later you will follow Me." Peter said to Him, "What is the reason I am not able to follow you now? I will lay down my life for You." Jesus answered him, "You will lay down you life for Me? Very certainly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied Me three times."

14 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am, you also may be. You know where I am going, and you know the way."

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how are we able to know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father as well; so from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father and it will satisfy us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long and still you do not know Me, Philip? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father, and so how can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I speak to you are not from Myself, but from the Father, who lives in Me. He is the One who does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, but if not, then believe Me because of the works themselves.

"Very certainly I say to you, whoever believes in Me, the works that I do, they will do also--and greater works than these will they do, because I am going to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments.

"And I will ask the Father, and another Counselor He will give you, so that He may live with you into the ages--the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He lives with you and He will be in you.

"I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. In yet a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you. Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him."

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus answered him and said, "If anyone loves Me he will keep My word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words, and the word you hear is not Mine, but is the Father's who sent Me.

"I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you; but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will enable you to remember everything I have said to you.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

"You heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved Me you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' because My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.

"I will no longer talk about all these things with you because the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do just as the Father has commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.

15 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me which does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every one that bears fruit, He prunes, so that it will bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, if you do not abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, will bear much fruit, because apart from Me you are able to do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown out like a branch that is dried up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will happen for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and you will become My disciples.

"Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept the commandments of My Father and abide in His love. I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may abide in you and your joy may be made full.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this: than to lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do everything I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, because everything which I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go out and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, so that whatever you may ask the Father in My name, He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. The world hates you because you are not of the world and because I chose you out of the world. Remember the word which I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. They will do all these things to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

"The one who hates Me, hates My Father as well. If I had not done the works among them which no one else has done, they would not have sin, but now they have both seen and have hated Me and My Father. But this was so that the word might be fulfilled which was written in their law: 'They hated Me without cause.'

"But when the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me. But you will testify about Me as well, because you were with Me from the beginning.

16 "I have spoken these things to you so that you will not be caused to stumble. They will expel you from the synagogue, and the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. And they will do these things because they do not know the Father nor Me. But I have spoken these things to you, so that when that hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

"I did not say this to you from the beginning because I was still with you; but now I am going to Him who sent Me, yet none of you asks Me, 'Where are you going?' Your heart is filled with sorrow because I have said these things to you, but I am telling you the truth. It is to your benefit that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world about sin, and about righteousness, and about judgment. About sin, because they do not believe in Me; about righteousness, because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me; and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

"I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He will say; and He will proclaim to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, because whatever is of Me, He will take and proclaim it to you. Everything the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that whatever is of Me, He will take and proclaim it to you.

"A little while and you do not see Me, and again a little while and you will see Me, because I am going to the Father." Then some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this which He says to us, 'A little while and you do not see Me and again a little while and you will see Me,' and, 'I am going to the Father?' " So they said, "What is this which He says, 'A little while?' We do not understand what He is saying."

Jesus knew what they wanted to ask Him, and so He said to them, "Are you questioning one another about Me, saying, 'A little while and you do not see Me, and again a little while and you will see Me?' Very certainly I say to you, that you will cry and you will moan, but the world will rejoice; you will be grieved, but your sorrow will become joy. The woman cries when she gives birth because her hour has come, but when the child is born, she no longer remembers the pain because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. And in that day you will not question Me about anything.

"Very certainly I say to you, that everything you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be fulfilled.

"I have spoken to you about these things in figures of speech, but the hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you openly about the Father. At that time you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father for you, for the Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me, and you have believed that I came forth from God. Indeed I came from the Father and have come into the world, and again, I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father."

His disciples said to Him, "See, You are speaking openly now and You are not using figures of speech. We realize now that You know everything and You do not need to be questioned by anyone." Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? See, an hour is coming, in fact has come, that you will be scattered each to his own, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have spoken these things to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but have courage, I have overcome the world."

17 Speaking these things Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that Your Son may also glorify You. Just as You have given Him authority over all humanity, so will He give eternal life to all that You have given to Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One whom You sent. I glorified You on earth. I finished the work which You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself with the glory I had with You before the world existed.

"I revealed Your name to the men whom You have given to Me out of the world. They were Yours and You have given them to Me and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that everything You have given to Me is from You; because the words which You have given to Me I have given to them, and they have received them and know that I truly came forth from You, and have believed that You sent Me.

"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given to Me, because they are Yours. And all who are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I have been glorified in them. No longer am I in the world, but I am coming to You, yet they are still in the world. Holy Father, keep in Your name those whom You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. When I was in the world, I kept them in Your name. I guarded those whom You have given Me, and not one of them was lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Now I am coming to you, but while I am in the world, I say these things so that they may be filled with My joy.

"I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also send them into the world. And in behalf of them I sanctify Myself, so that they also may be sanctified by truth.

"I am not praying for these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, so that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You--so that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And I have given them the glory which You have given to Me so that they may be one just as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, so that they may be perfected in one, that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them just as You have loved Me.

"Father, My desire is that those whom You have given to Me may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given to me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, indeed the world did not know You, yet I knew You, and these knew that You sent Me. And I made Your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me, and I Myself, may be in them."

18 Having said this, Jesus went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden which He and His disciples entered. Judas, who would hand Him over, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with His disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers there from the chief priest and Pharisees' attendants, who came with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Then Jesus, knowing everything that was going to come upon Him, went out to them and asked, "Whom are you seeking?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." Standing among them was Judas, who was handing Him over. When He said to them, "I am He," they fell backward to the ground. So He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus answered. "I told you that I am He, so if I am the One you are seeking, let these men go." He said this so the word might be fulfilled: "Of those whom you have given Me, I have lost not one." Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. And the slave's name was Malchus. Therefore Jesus said to Peter. "Put your sword into your sheath! The cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not certainly drink it?"

Then the detachment of soldiers, their captain, and the attendants of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. They led Him away to Annas first, because he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who advised the Jews that it was necessary for one man to perish on behalf of the people.

Following Jesus was Simon Peter, as was the other disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the the high priest. Peter was standing at the door outside, so the other disciple who was known by the high priest spoke to the girl who kept the door and brought in Peter. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not one of the disciples of this man also, are you?" He said, "I am not." The slaves and attendants who were standing there had made a coal fire because it was cold, and were warming themselves. Peter was standing there with them, warming himself.

Then the high priest asked Jesus about His disciples and about His teachings. Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always came together, and spoke nothing in secret. Why ask Me? Ask those who heard what I spoke to them. Look, these people know what I said."

After He had said this, one of the attendants standing by slapped Jesus, saying, "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If I spoke wrongly, testify about what was wrong, but if correct, then why do you hit Me?" Annas then sent Him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Therefore they said to him, "Are you not one of His disciples?" He denied it saying, "I am not." One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" Again Peter denied it, and immediately a rooster crowed.

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early morning. They themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they might not be defiled but be still able to eat the Passover. Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered him, "If this man were not an criminal, we would not have handed Him over." Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law." So the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to kill anyone," so that the words of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He said, signifying by what sort of death He was about to die.

Then Pilate entered into the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "You are the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered him, "Do you say this from yourself, or did others tell you about Me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your nation and your chief priests have handed You over to me. What have You done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as of now, My kingdom is not from here." Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So then You are a king?" Jesus answered, "As you say, I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, so that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"

And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, "I find no charge in Him. But you have a custom that I should release one person to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release the 'King of the Jews'?" Then they all cried out again, saying, "Not Him, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a bandit.

19 So then Pilate took Jesus and had Him whipped. And the soldiers crafted a crown made of thorns, put it on His head, and tossed a purple robe around Him. They repeated, "Hail, King of the Jews!" while striking His face.

Then Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing Him out to you, so that you may know that I find no charge in Him." Jesus then came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold, the Man!" When the chief priests and attendants saw Him they cried out, "Crucify, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and do the crucifying, for I do not find any charge in Him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law He should die, because He made Himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard these words he became more afraid, and entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer. Then Pilate said, "You are not speaking to me? Do you not know that I have the authority to crucify You and the authority to release You?" Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me at all unless it had been given to you from above. Because of this, the one who handed Me over to you has a greater sin."

From that point Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews kept crying out, saying, "If you release this man you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."

So Pilate, on hearing these words, led Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat in a place called the Pavement--in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was now the Preparation of the Passover, about six in the morning, and he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" But they cried out, "Away, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar!" So he handed Him over to them to be crucified.

And they took Jesus and led Him away. And carrying His cross He went out to a place called "Place of a Skull," which in Hebrew is Golgotha, where they crucified Him with two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the cross. On it was written: "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews."

Many of the Jews read this sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Because of this the chief priests of the Jews told Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This Person said, "I am the King of the Jews."'" Pilate answered, "I have written what I have written."

Then the soldiers, when they crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, a part to each soldier, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, wholly woven from top to bottom. Therefore they said to each other, "Let us not tear it but cast lots for it, to choose whose it will be," so that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says, "They divided My garments among them, and upon My clothing the cast a lot." So the soldiers did this.

By the cross stood the mother of Jesus, and the sister of His mother, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Upon seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own care.

After this Jesus saw that everything had been completed, and to fulfill the Scripture, He said, "I thirst." A jar was sitting there full of vinegar, so they filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on hyssop branch, and brought it to His mouth. When Jesus received the vinegar, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He surrendered His Spirit.

Therefore the Jews, so that the bodies should not remain on the Sabbath, being the Preparation day (for it was a high day of that Sabbath), asked Pilate that their legs be broken, and they be taken away. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and then the other who had been crucified with Him. But upon coming to Jesus, they saw that He had already died so they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and immediately blood and water came out. The one who witnessed this has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows what he says is the truth so that you may believe. For this happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of His shall be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they have pierced."

After this Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, but secretly out of fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave permission. So he came and took away the body of Jesus. Nicodemus, who first had come to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and about a hundred pounds of aloes. They took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen strips with the spices, as was the burial custom of the Jews.

Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Because it was the Jewish Preparation day, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

20 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away. She ran to Simon Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. As the two were running together, the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first. And stooping to look, he saw the linen strips lying there; however, he did not go in. Then Simon Peter, following him, entered into the tomb and saw the linen strips, and also the facecloth which had been on His head--not lying with the linen strips, but separate from them, rolled up in one place. The other disciple, who had come to the tomb first, then went in as well, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand from the Scripture that it was necessary for Him to rise again from the dead. The disciples then went back to their home.

But Mary stood outside, weeping in front of the tomb. As she was weeping, she stooped to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and one at the foot, where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She answered them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put Him."

As she said this she turned and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize who He was. Jesus asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Whom do you seek?" Supposing that He was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" Turning around, she cried out, "Rabboni!" (which means Great Teacher).

Jesus then told her, "Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and to your God.'" Then Mary Magdalene went to the disciples and announced, "I have seen the Lord, and this is what He said to me!"

In the evening on the first day of the week, the disciples were assembled behind closed doors because of the fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, "Peace be to you." Having said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord. Therefore Jesus again said, "Peace be to you. Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." He then breathed on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven. If you hold the sins of anyone, they are held."

But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "If I do not see the holes of the nails in His hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and put my hand into His side, I will certainly not believe."

After eight days His disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, even though the doors were closed, and He stood among them and said, "Peace be to you." Then He said to Thomas, "Bring your finger here and see My hands, and bring your hand and put it into My side. Do not be skeptical, but believing." And Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "You have believed because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who have not seen Me, yet have believed."

Now Jesus also did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and on believing, you may have life in His name.

21 After this Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples on the Sea of Tiberias. He showed Himself in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathaniel from Cana of Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples were together. Simon Peter told them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you." They promptly got into the boat and went out, and that night they caught nothing. But as early morning came, Jesus stood on the shore; however, the disciples did not realize who He was. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, do you not have any fish?" They answered Him, "No." But He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and were unable to pull it in because of the large number of fish.

Therefore the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When he heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic, having been stripped, and jumped into the sea. But the others, who were not far from land--about a hundred yards away--came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish. As they got to land, they saw a charcoal fire laid out with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." Simon Peter went out and pulled the net onto the land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty three, yet the net was not torn from so many. Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Not one of the disciples dared to ask Him, "Who are You?"--knowing that it was the Lord. Then Jesus took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish as well. This was the third time Jesus was revealed to His disciples after being raised from the dead.

When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." Jesus said to him a third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was upset because He asked him a third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to him, "Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. Very certainly I say to you, when you were younger, you tied your clothes and walked wherever you wished, but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie you and take you where you do not wish to go." He said this to signify what kind of death he would glorify God. And so having spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

But turning around Peter saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the one who also leaned on His chest at the supper and asked, "Lord, who is the one who will betray You?" Seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, but what about him?" Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." So the word went out among the brothers that the disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die but, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

This is the disciple who testifies about these things, having written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if every one were written down, I suppose not even the world itself would have room for the books that would be written. Amen.

1 Paul, the apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. He has chosen us in Him before the world was founded to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us through Jesus Christ to be His adopted sons, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glories of His grace, by which He has freely favored us in the Beloved One. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins by the riches of His grace, which He has poured out on us in all wisdom and insight.

According to His good pleasure, He has revealed to us the secret of His will, which He plans to fulfill when the time fully comes to bring everything together in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth.

We were also chosen to be His heirs, predestined according to the purpose of Him who works out all things by the design of His will, so that we, the first to put our hope in Christ, should bring praise to His glory. You too, after hearing the word of truth, and believing the good news of your salvation, have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until that purchased possession is redeemed, to the praise of His glory.

Because of this, I also, after hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, never cease to give thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him, illuminating the eyes of your heart so that you may realize what this hope is to which He has called you, and what are all the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, as well as the extraordinary greatness of His power toward us who believe.

He demonstrated the strength of this mighty power when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. He has put all things under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who is everywhere and fills everything.
2 And you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once behaved according to the ways of the world, and of the prince of the power of the air--the spirit of the one now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we all once conducted ourselves in our own lusts, as we indulged our fleshly desires and carnal thoughts, and so we were by nature, children of wrath, just like everyone else.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with Him and seated us together in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the extraordinary riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, but is the gift of God--not because of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His craftsmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them.

Remember therefore, that you were once Gentiles in the flesh, considered uncircumcised by the circumcision that is made in the body by human hands. At that time you were separated from Christ, estranged from Israel's citizenship, strangers to the covenants of promise--in the world, Godless and without hope. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made us both one and destroyed the dividing wall that separated us, ending the hostility through His flesh, having abolished the ordinances of the commandments of the law, so that from the two He might create in Himself one new man, thus making peace, that He might reconcile them both in one body to God by the cross, putting to death the hostility Himself.

And when He came, He preached peace to you who were far away, and to those who were near, because through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God"s household that is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets--the chief cornerstone who is Christ Jesus Himself, in whom the whole building is joined together as it grows into a temple that is holy to the Lord, in whom also you are being built up together as a dwelling for God's Spirit.
3 Because of this, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God that was given to me for you: how by revelation He has made known to me this mystery, just as I wrote briefly before; which upon reading, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy Apostles and Prophets. That is, the Gentiles are to be fellow heirs of the same body and participants of His promise through Christ by means of the Gospel, of which I became a minister by the free gift of the grace of God that was given to me according to the working of His power.

To me, the least of all saints, was given this grace to preach among the Gentiles the incomprehensible riches of Christ, and to bring to light the stewardship of this mystery, which has been hidden throughout the ages by God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. So now, the many-sided wisdom of God may be revealed through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. This is in accord with the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom we have the confidence of bold access through faith in Him. So I ask you not to lose heart at my affliction on your behalf, which is your glory.

Because of this I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner self, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Being rooted and grounded in love, may you be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth--to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up with all the fulness of God.

Now to Him who is able to abundantly exceed anything we ask or think of according to the power at work within us, be glory in the church through Christ Jesus to all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
4 Therefore as the prisoner of the Lord, I urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, in all humility and gentleness, patiently bearing with one another in love, making every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were also called in the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.

But the grace given to each of us is measured by the free gift of Christ. Therefore He says, "When He ascended on high, He led captives into captivity, and He gave gifts to men." Now what does it mean, "He ascended," if He did not also descend into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill everything.

And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and others to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for their work in the service of building up the body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God--complete adults, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be like infants, tossed around by waves and carried away by every wind of teaching through the trickery, the slyness of men involved in deceitful schemes. But we tell the truth in love, so that in every way we might grow up into Him who is the head--Christ, from whom the whole body is fitted and held together through every supporting joint, as each part does its appropriate share, enabling the body to grow as it builds itself up in love.

And so I say as I testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk like the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds, having been darkened in understanding and estranged from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart. Having become calloused, they have given themselves over to depravity with a voracious appetite for perversion.

But this is not how you have come to know Christ, if indeed you have heard of Him and been taught of Him according this truth that is in Jesus: that you put off the ways of your former life, that old self that is being corrupted by its deceitful lusts, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind as you put on the new self, created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, putting aside dishonesty, "Let each one speak the truth with his neighbor," because we are one another's neighbors. "Be angry but do not sin." Do not let the sun set on your anger, nor give opportunity to the devil. Let him who stole no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing good work with his hands in order that he may have something to share with those who are in need.

Let no corrupt word come from your mouth but only what is good for edification as needed, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and blasphemy be removed from you, as well as all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But let not sexual immorality, nor any impurity, nor greed be named among you, just as is proper for saints. Neither let there be obscenity, foolish talking, or coarse joking, which are not suitable, but rather thanksgiving. For you know that no sexually immoral person, nor anyone impure, nor the greedy, who are idolaters, will have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. So do not be participants with them, for you were once darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light--for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth--finding out what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not take part in the fruitless works of darkness, but rather expose them, for it is shameful to even mention what they do in secret. But all things that are exposed by the light are revealed, for it is light that makes everything visible. Therefore He says, "Wake up, you sleeping ones, arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you."

Watch, therefore, that you walk carefully, not as the unwise, but as the wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of the Lord. And do not get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless indulgence, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melodious praise in your hearts to the Lord. Always give thanks about all things to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit yourselves to one another out of respect for God.

Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is also the head of the Church; He is the Savior of the body. But just as the Church is subjected to Christ, so too must wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your own wives just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself on her behalf in order that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of water through the Word. That He might present her to Himself as the glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle of any kind, that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also the Lord does the Church. For we are members of His body. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I am referring to Christ and the Church. However, let each one of you also love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise: "That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth." And fathers, do not provoke your children's anger, but nourish them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves, obey your mortal masters with reverence and awe, in a sincere heart as to Christ, not with eyeservice as pleasers of men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart--serving with goodwill as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will be rewarded by the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And masters, do the same to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master is also in heaven and there is no partiality with Him.

Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the clever schemes of the devil. Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the world powers of this age of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. So take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to withstand the day of evil, and having achieved all, to stand.

Stand therefore and belt your waist with the truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, and bind your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. In addition to all, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying in the Spirit on every occasion through every kind of prayer and petition. To this same end stay alert with all perseverance to make requests for all the saints, and also for me, that as I open my mouth I may be given bold speech to share the mystery of the Gospel, for which I serve as an ambassador in chains, that I may proclaim it as fearlessly as I should.

Now that you may know my circumstances and what I am doing, Tychius, my beloved brother and faithful servant of the Lord, will tell you all about us. I have sent him to you for this purpose, that you may realize what our situation is, and also that he may encourage your hearts.

Peace be to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a never diminishing love. Amen.

These verses of Scripture have been chosen from the New Testament to help those who desire to know Jesus Christ personally and begin a new life of hope through faith in Him. Knowing these Scriptures will help the believer to establish their lives on the unshakable foundation of God's Word.

"Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away." Jesus Christ--Matthew 24:35

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

The love of God is shown for us by this: that God sent His only begotten Son into the world in order that through Him we might live. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. I John 4:9,10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, but is the gift of God--not because of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared for mankind, not because of righteous works that we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:4
The Wages of Sin
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

"The Son of Man will send forth His angels and they will collect out of His kingdom all that is offensive and those who practice lawlessness and will throw them into the fiery furnace." Matthew 13: 41,42