JOHN
New Revised Standard Version
[John 1]
The prologue
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through
him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4
in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness
to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself
was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light,
which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the
world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did
not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he
gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the
will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John
testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes
after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") 16 From his fullness
we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through
Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God.
It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him
known.
The testimony of John the Baptist
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites
from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed and did not deny it,
but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are
you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22
Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent
us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said,
"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
'Make straight the way of the Lord,'"
as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, "Why then are
you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26
John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do
not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the
thong of his sandal." 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where
John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said,
'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' 31 I
myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that
he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John testified, "I saw the Spirit
descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did
not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on
whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the
Holy Spirit.' 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the
Son of God."
35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as
he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus
turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you
staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was
staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the
afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him,
"We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought
Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You
are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to
him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and
Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about
whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from
Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward
him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!"
48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw
you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus
answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig
tree? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Very
truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of Man."
[John 2]
The wedding at Cana
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of
Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the
wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have
no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to
me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever
he tells you." 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish
rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to
them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He
said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they
took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not
know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew),
the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the
good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become
drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." 11 Jesus did this, the
first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his
disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his
disciples; and they remained there a few days.
The demonstration against corruption in the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In
the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money
changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of
them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the
coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who
were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my
Father's house a marketplace!" 17 His disciples remembered that it was
written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 18 The Jews then said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 The Jews then said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you
raise it up in three days?" 21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body.
22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had
said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23 When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his
name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part
would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no
one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
[John 3]
Jesus and the religious authorities
1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to
Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has
come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the
presence of God." 3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can
see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4 Nicodemus said to
him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second
time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I
tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and
Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit
is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from
above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but
you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone
who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things
be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not
understand these things?
11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we
have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about
earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about
heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who
descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that
whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but
in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in
him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already,
because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this
is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved
darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do
evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not
be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may
be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
Further testimony of John the Baptist
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he
spent some time there with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at
Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and
were being baptized 24 – John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a
Jew. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you
across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are
going to him." 27 John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has
been given from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am
not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' 29 He who has the bride
is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been
fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease."
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth
belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from
heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one
accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified
this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for
he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has
placed all things in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal
life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath.
[John 4]
Jesus and the Samaritans
1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, "Jesus is making and
baptizing more disciples than John" 2 – although it was not Jesus himself but
his disciples who baptized – 3 he left Judea and started back to Galilee. 4
But he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a Samaritan city called
Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6
Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by
the well. It was about noon.
7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a
drink." 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan
woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of
Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus
answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to
you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you
living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the
well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our
ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank
from it?" 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be
thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will
never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of
water gushing up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me
this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw
water."
16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." 17 The woman
answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in
saying, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one
you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" 19 The woman
said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on
this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in
Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when
you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You
worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from
the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as
these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship
in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is
coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to
us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you."
27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking
with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking
with her?" 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She
said to the people, 29 "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever
done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?" 30 They left the city and were on
their way to him.
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he
said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the
disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to
eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and
to complete his work. 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the
harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for
harvesting. 36 The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit
for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here
the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap
that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered
into their labor."
39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's
testimony, "He told me everything I have ever done." 40 So when the Samaritans
came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, "It
is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for
ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."
Healing of the official's son
43 When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee 44 (for
Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet's own
country). 45 When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they
had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had
gone to the festival.
46 Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into
wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. 47 When
he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to
come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus
said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49 The
official said to him, "Sir, come down before my little boy dies." 50 Jesus
said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus
spoke to him and started on his way. 51 As he was going down, his slaves met
him and told him that his child was alive. 52 So he asked them the hour when
he began to recover, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one in the afternoon
the fever left him." 53 The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus
had said to him, "Your son will live." So he himself believed, along with his
whole household. 54Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming
from Judea to Galilee.
[John 5]
Healing the lame man on the sabbath
1 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew
Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3 In these lay many invalids – blind,
lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight
years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long
time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" 7 The sick man answered
him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up;
and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." 8 Jesus
said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was made
well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Now that day was a sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured,
"It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat." 11 But he
answered them, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Take up your mat and
walk.'" 12 They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take it up and
walk'?" 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus
had disappeared in the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him in the
temple and said to him, "See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so
that nothing worse happens to you." 15 The man went away and told the Jews
that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 Therefore the Jews started
persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. 17 But
Jesus answered them, "My Father is still working, and I also am working." 18
For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was
not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father,
thereby making himself equal to God.
Jesus' relation to God
19 Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his
own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the
Son does likewise. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he
himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you
will be astonished. 21 Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives
them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. 22 The Father
judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor
the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does
not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears
my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under
judgment, but has passed from death to life.
25 "Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead
will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For
just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have
life in himself; 27 and he has given him authority to execute judgment,
because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is
coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and will come
out – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just,
because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Evidence of Jesus' relationship to God
31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another
who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. 33
You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. 34 Not that I
accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a
while in his light. 36 But I have a testimony greater than John's. The works
that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing,
testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent
me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen
his form, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not
believe him whom he has sent.
Jesus rebukes those who refuse his offer
39 "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal
life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40 Yet you refuse to come to
me to have life. 41 I do not accept glory from human beings. 42 But I know
that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in my Father's
name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will
accept him. 44How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and
do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? 45 Do not
think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom
you have set your hope. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he
wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you
believe what I say?"
[John 6]
Feeding the five thousand; Jesus replaces the Passover
1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called
the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the
signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat
down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews,
was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus
said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He said
this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip
answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them
to get a little." 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said
to him, 9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But
what are they among so many people?" 10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit
down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down,
about five thousand in all. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had
given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish,
as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples,
"Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." 13 So they
gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by
those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 When the people saw the
sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is
to come into the world."
15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to
make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Jesus walks on the sea
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat,
and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not
yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.
19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on
the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to
them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 Then they wanted to take him into the
boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
Jesus, the bread of life
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw
that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got
into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.
23 Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the
bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither
Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and
went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi,
when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you
are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill
of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food
that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is
on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What
must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the
work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to
him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and
believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in
the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32
Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave
you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread
from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and
gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread
always."
35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never
be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But I said to
you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 Everything that the
Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive
away; 38 for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will
of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should
lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40
This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in
him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day."
41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread
that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son
of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come
down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves.
44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will
raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And
they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the
Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who
is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever
believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate
the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes
down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living
bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live
forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my
flesh."
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us
his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless
you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in
you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I
will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood
is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I
in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the
Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that
came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died.
But the one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things
while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is
difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples
were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what
if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is
the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken
to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not
believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not
believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For this
reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the
Father."
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about
with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of
eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of
God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of
you is a devil." 71 He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he,
though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
[John 7]
The conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities escalates
1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea
because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish
festival of Booths was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go
to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4 for no
one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show
yourself to the world." 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.) 6 Jesus
said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The
world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its
works are evil. 8 Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this
festival, for my time has not yet fully come." 9 After saying this, he
remained in Galilee.
10 But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not
publicly but as it were in secret. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the
festival and saying, "Where is he?" 12 And there was considerable complaining
about him among the crowds. While some were saying, "He is a good man," others
were saying, "No, he is deceiving the crowd." 13 Yet no one would speak openly
about him for fear of the Jews.
14 About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to
teach. 15 The Jews were astonished at it, saying, "How does this man have such
learning, when he has never been taught?" 16 Then Jesus answered them, "My
teaching is not mine but his who sent me. 17 Anyone who resolves to do the
will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am
speaking on my own. 18 Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but
the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing
false in him.
19 "Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you
looking for an opportunity to kill me?" 20 The crowd answered, "You have a
demon! Who is trying to kill you?" 21 Jesus answered them, "I performed one
work, and all of you are astonished. 22Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of
course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on
the sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that
the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a
man's whole body on the sabbath? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge
with right judgment."
25 Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is not this the man whom
they are trying to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, but they say
nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the
Messiah? 27 Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no
one will know where he is from." 28 Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in
the temple, "You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my
own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. 29 I know him,
because I am from him, and he sent me." 30 Then they tried to arrest him, but
no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many in
the crowd believed in him and were saying, "When the Messiah comes, will he do
more signs than this man has done?"
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the
chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. 33 Jesus then
said, "I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him
who sent me. 34 You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I
am, you cannot come." 35 The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man
intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion
among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, 'You
will search for me and you will not find me' and 'Where I am, you cannot
come'?"
37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing
there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38 and let the one
who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's
heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" 39 Now he said this about the
Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no
Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, "This is really the
prophet." 41 Others said, "This is the Messiah." But some asked, "Surely the
Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? 42 Has not the scripture said
that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village
where David lived?" 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of him. 44
Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who
asked them, "Why did you not arrest him?" 46 The police answered, "Never has
anyone spoken like this!" 47 Then the Pharisees replied, "Surely you have not
been deceived too, have you? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the
Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law –
they are accursed." 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was
one of them, asked, 51 "Our law does not judge people without first giving
them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?" 52 They replied,
"Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that
no prophet is to arise from Galilee."
The woman caught in adultery
[[53 Then each of them went home,
[John 8] 1 while Jesus went to the
Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the
people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and
the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her
stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to
stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They said this to test him, so that
they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote
with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he
straightened up and said to them, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be
the first to throw a stone at her." 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on
the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with
the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10
Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, sir." And Jesus said, "Neither do I
condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again."]]
Jesus the light of life
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." 13
Then the Pharisees said to him, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your
testimony is not valid." 14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own
behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where
I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You
judge by human standards; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my
judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who
sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is
valid. 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on
my behalf." 19 Then 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
also." 20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the
temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 Again he said to them, "I am going away, and you will search for me, but
you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come." 22 Then the Jews
said, "Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, 'Where I
am going, you cannot come'?" 23 He said to them, "You are from below, I am
from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 I told you that
you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe
that I am he." 25 They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do
I speak to you at all? 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn;
but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard
from him." 27 They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the
Father. 28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you
will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these
things as the Father instructed me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me; he
has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." 30 As he was
saying these things, many believed in him.
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my
word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the
truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of
Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You
will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a
slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household;
the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will
be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look
for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.
38 I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence; as for you, you should
do what you have heard from the Father."
39 They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you
were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, 40 but now you
are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are indeed doing what your father does."
They said to him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God
himself." 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent
me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept
my word. 44 You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your
father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according
to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I
tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If
I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is from God hears the
words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."
48 The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan
and have a demon?" 49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my
Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one
who seeks it and he is the judge. 51 Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my
word will never see death." 52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you
have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever
keeps my word will never taste death.' 53 Are you greater than our father
Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?" 54 Jesus
answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who
glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' 55 though you do not know
him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar
like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your ancestor Abraham
rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad." 57 Then the Jews
said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58
Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am." 59 So
they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of
the temple.
[John 9]
The healing of a man born blind
1 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked
him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3
Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so
that God's works might be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who
sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I
am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When he had said this, he
spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the
man's eyes, 7 saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means
Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8 The neighbors and
those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man
who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying,
"No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." 10 But they
kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered, "The man
called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and
wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." 12 They said to him,
"Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now
it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the
Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to
them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the
Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the
sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?"
And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, "What do you
say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet."
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight
until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and
asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he
now see?" 20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he
was born blind; 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we
know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews
had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be
put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask
him."
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they
said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." 25 He
answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that
though I was blind, now I see." 26 They said to him, "What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and
you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to
become his disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his
disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to
Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." 30 The man
answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from,
and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but
he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the
world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born
blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 They
answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach
us?" And they drove him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said,
"Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36 He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell
me, so that I may believe in him." 37 Jesus said to him, "You have seen him,
and the one speaking with you is he." 38 He said, "Lord, I believe." And he
worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that
those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." 40 Some
of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not
blind, are we?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have
sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.
[John 10]
Jesus, the shepherd who gives his life
1 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate
but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by
the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for
him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads
them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and
the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a
stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of
strangers." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not
understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the
sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not
listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will
come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep,
sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away – and the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired
hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and
my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I
lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to
this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there
will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it
from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and
I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my
Father."
19 Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20 Many of them were
saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?" 21 Others
were saying, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open
the eyes of the blind?"
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was
winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in
suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I have
told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name
testify to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my
sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give
them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of
my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one
can snatch it out of the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one."
31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus replied, "I have shown
you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone
me?" 33 The Jews answered, "It is not for a good work that we are going to
stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are
making yourself God." 34 Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, 'I
said, you are gods'? 35 If those to whom the word of God came were called
'gods' – and the scripture cannot be annulled – 36 can you say that the one
whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because
I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do
not believe me. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in
me and I am in the Father." 39 Then they tried to arrest him again, but he
escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been
baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41 Many came to him, and they were
saying, "John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man
was true." 42 And many believed in him there.
[John 11]
The raising of Lazarus
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her
sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped
his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent a
message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." 4 But when Jesus heard it,
he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory,
so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Accordingly, though
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6 after having heard that
Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The
disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and
are you going there again?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of
daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the
light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light
is not in them." 11 After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him." 12 The disciples said to
him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." 13 Jesus, however,
had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring
merely to sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 For
your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to
him." 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let
us also go, that we may die with him."
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four
days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19 and many of
the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary
stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you
whatever you ask of him." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise
again." 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the
resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection
and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and
everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27
She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of
God, the one coming into the world."
28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told
her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." 29 And when she
heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come to
the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews
who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go
out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to
weep there. 32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his
feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have
died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also
weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said,
"Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus
began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of
them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this
man from dying?"
38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a
stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the
sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because
he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if
you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone.
And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42
I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd
standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." 43 When he had said
this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came
out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a
cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus
did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them
what he had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting
of the council, and said, "What are we to do? This man is performing many
signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the
Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." 49 But one
of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know
nothing at all! 50 You do not understand that it is better for you to have one
man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed." 51 He did not
say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus
was about to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather
into one the dispersed children of God. 53 So from that day on they planned to
put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from
there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he
remained there with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to
Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for
Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you
think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?" 57 Now the chief
priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus
was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
[John 12]
The anointing at Bethany
1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha
served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a
pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped
them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray
him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the
money given to the poor?" 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor,
but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what
was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she
might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you,
but you do not always have me."
9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not
only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the
dead. 10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, 11
since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were
believing in Jesus.
Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus
was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out
to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord –
the King of Israel!"
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
15 "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!"
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was
glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and
had been done to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called
Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. 18
It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd
went to meet him. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see, you can
do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!"
The conclusion of Jesus' public ministry
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir,
we wish to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip
went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of
Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls
into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it
bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate
their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me
must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves
me, the Father will honor.
27 "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – 'Father, save me from
this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28
Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified
it, and I will glorify it again." 29 The crowd standing there heard it and
said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30 Jesus
answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31 Now is the
judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And
I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." 33 He
said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34 The crowd answered
him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you
say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" 35 Jesus
said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have
the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the
darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36 While you have the light,
believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."
After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. 37 Although he had
performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38
This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
"Lord, who has believed our message,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
39 And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,
40 "He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and understand with their heart and turn –
and I would heal them."
41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. 42
Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of
the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of
the synagogue; 43 for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes
from God.
44 Then Jesus cried aloud: "Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in
him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come
as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain
in the darkness. 47 I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep
them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who
rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word
that I have spoken will serve as judge, 49 for I have not spoken on my own,
but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to
say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."
[John 13]
The footwashing and betrayal
1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were
in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into
the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that
he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off
his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a
basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel
that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord,
are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I
am doing, but later you will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You will never
wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me."
9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my
head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except
for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of
you." 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all
of you are clean."
12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to
the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call
me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I,
your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I
have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than
their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you
know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all
of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, 'The
one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I tell you this now,
before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. 20
Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and
whoever receives me receives him who sent me."
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly,
I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one
another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples – the one
whom Jesus loved – was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore
motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining
next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is the
one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So
when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon
Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him.
Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." 28 Now no one at the
table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had
the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival";
or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the
piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Jesus' farewell discourse and prayer
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified,
and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God
will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little
children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I
said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' 34
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved
you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you
are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered,
"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward."
37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my
life for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Very
truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
[John 14]
The believers' relation to the glorified Christ
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would
I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so
that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place
where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are
going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you
know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have
seen him."
8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." 9
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still
do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the
Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the
Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the
works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will
also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these,
because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for
anything, I will do it.
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This
is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in
you.
18 "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while
the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also
will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me,
and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who
love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love
them and reveal myself to them." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord,
how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus
answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love
them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does
not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine,
but is from the Father who sent me.
25 "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach
you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I
leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28
You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you
loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father
is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that
when it does occur, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you,
for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as
the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the
Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
[John 15]
The pattern of the believer's life
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every
branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to
make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I
have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot
bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you
abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and
I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever
does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches
are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my
disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my
love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I
have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these
things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you
servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is
doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you
everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I
chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so
that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving
you these commands so that you may love one another.
18 "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. 19
If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you
do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world – therefore
the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'Servants are
not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute
you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But they will do all
these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who
sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but
now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father
also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they
would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25
It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, 'They hated me
without a cause.'
26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27
You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
[John 16]
The believer's relation to the world
1 "I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put
you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you
will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will
do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4 But I have said these
things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you
about them.
"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are
you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled
your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that
I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if
I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world
wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do
not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this
world has been condemned.
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he
will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will
declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he
will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is
mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to
you.
16 "A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while,
and you will see me." 17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, "What
does he mean by saying to us, 'A little while, and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while, and you will see me'; and 'Because I am going to the
Father'?" 18 They said, "What does he mean by this 'a little while'? We do not
know what he is talking about." 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so
he said to them, "Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I
said, 'A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little
while, and you will see me'? 20 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and
mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn
into joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has
come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because
of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. 22 So you have pain
now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will
take your joy from you. 23 On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly,
I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to
you. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will
receive, so that your joy may be complete.
25 "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming
when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of
the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I
will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you,
because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came
from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world
and am going to the Father."
29 His disciples said, "Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure
of speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have
anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God." 31 Jesus
answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 The hour is coming, indeed it has come,
when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone.
Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have said this to you,
so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take
courage; I have conquered the world!"
[John 17]
Jesus' final prayer
1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said,
"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to
all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you
on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father,
glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence
before the world existed.
6 "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They
were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they
know that everything you have given me is from you; 8 for the words that you
gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth
that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am asking
on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of
those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and
yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I am no longer
in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father,
protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as
we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you
have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one
destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am
coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my
joy made complete in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world
has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not
belong to the world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but
I ask you to protect them from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to the
world, just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth;
your word is truth. 18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them
into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also
may be sanctified in truth.
20 "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will
believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father,
are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may
believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have
given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in
me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you
have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I
desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to
see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the
foundation of the world.
25 "Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these
know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make
it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I
in them."
[John 18]
Arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus
1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across
the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his
disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because
Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachment of
soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and
they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing
all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, "Whom are you
looking for?" 5 They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am he."
Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, "I
am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Whom
are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I
told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go." 9 This
was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, "I did not lose a single one of
those whom you gave me." 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck
the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was
Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I
not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
12 So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and
bound him. 13 First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of
Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised
the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was
known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high
priest, 16 but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple,
who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the
gate, and brought Peter in. 17 The woman said to Peter, "You are not also one
of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." 18 Now the slaves and
the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were
standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them
and warming himself.
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his
teaching. 20 Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always
taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I
have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I
said to them; they know what I said." 22 When he had said this, one of the
police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you
answer the high priest?" 23 Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify
to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" 24 Then
Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, "You are
not also one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." 26
One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter
had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" 27 Again Peter
denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.
Jesus and Pilate
28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early
in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid
ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to
them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" 30 They
answered, "If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over
to you." 31 Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according
to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."
32 (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of
death he was to die.)
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him,
"Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your
own, or did others tell you about me?" 35 Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am
I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have
you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my
kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from
being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." 37
Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a
king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to
the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate
asked him, "What is truth?"
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find
no case against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release someone for you
at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 40
They shouted in reply, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now
[John 19]
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown
of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. 3
They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him
on the face. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing
him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him." 5 So Jesus
came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to
them, "Here is the man!" 6 When the chief priests and the police saw him, they
shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves
and crucify him; I find no case against him." 7 The Jews answered him, "We
have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed
to be the Son of God."
8 Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He entered his
headquarters again and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him
no answer. 10 Pilate therefore said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do
you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" 11
Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given
you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a
greater sin." 12 From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried
out, "If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who
claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor."
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the
judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. 14
Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He
said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" 15 They cried out, "Away with him! Away
with him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The
chief priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor." 16 Then he handed
him over to them to be crucified.
The crucifixion
So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what
is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There
they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus
between them. 19 Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.
It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." 20 Many of the Jews read
this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the
city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 Then the chief
priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,'
but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" 22 Pilate answered, "What I have
written I have written." 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took
his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also
took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top.
24 So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to
see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says,
"They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots."
25 And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's
sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his
mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his
mother, "Woman, here is your son." 27 Then he said to the disciple, "Here is
your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to
fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty." 29 A jar full of sour wine was
standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop
and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is
finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left
on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of
great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men
broken and the bodies removed. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of
the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they
came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once
blood and water came out. 35 (He who saw this has testified so that you also
may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) 36
These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his
bones shall be broken." 37 And again another passage of scripture says, "They
will look on the one whom they have pierced."
38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus,
though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him
take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and
removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also
came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.
40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths,
according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the
place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which
no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of
Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
[John 20]
The resurrection
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene
came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So
she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one 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." 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set
out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other
disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in
and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon
Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings
lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the
linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple,
who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as
yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10
Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look
into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of
Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said
to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away
my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 14 When she had said
this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know
that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are
you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if
you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take
him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to
me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and
say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your
God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the
Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors
of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 20 After he
said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced
when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As
the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 When he had said this, he breathed
on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins
of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained."
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them
when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put
my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not
believe."
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with
them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
"Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see
my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but
believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him,
"Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have come to believe."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are
not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to
believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing
you may have life in his name.
[John 21]
Epilogue
1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of
Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were
Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of
Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am
going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got
into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not
know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish,
have you?" They answered him, "No." 6 He said to them, "Cast the net to the
right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they
were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple
whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that
it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the
sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of
fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it,
and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just
caught." 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of
large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the
net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none
of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the
Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same
with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the
disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of
John, 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." 16 A second time he said
to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you
know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him
the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because
he said to him the 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. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten
your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will
stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and
take you where you do not wish to go." 19 (He said this to indicate the kind
of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow
me."
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was
the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who
is it that is going to betray you?" 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus,
"Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain
until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" 23 So the rumor spread in the
community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that
he would not die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is
that to you?"
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written
them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other
things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that
the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.