²³ But Jesus *answered them by saying, “^(A)The hour has come for the Son of Man to ^(B)be glorified. ²⁴ Truly, truly I say to you, ^(C)unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ^25 (D)The one who loves his ^[a]life loses it, and the one who ^(E)hates his ^[b]life in this world will keep it ^[c]to eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone ^[d]serves Me, he must follow Me; and ^(F)where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone ^[e]serves Me, the Father will ^(G)honor him.

Jesus Foretells His Death

²⁷ “^(H)Now My soul has become troubled; and what am I to say? ‘^(I)Father, save Me from ^(J)this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ^28 (K)Father, glorify Your name.” Then a ^(L)voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled faces, ^(A)looking as in a mirror at the ^(B)glory of the Lord, are being ^(C)transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from ^(D)the Lord, the Spirit.

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

4 Therefore, since we have this ^(E)ministry, as we ^(F)received mercy, we ^(G)do not lose heart, ² but we have renounced the ^(H)things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor ^(I)distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth ^(J)commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our ^(K)gospel is ^(L)veiled, it is veiled ^[a]to ^(M)those who are perishing, ⁴ in whose case ^(N)the god of ^(O)this ^[b]world has ^(P)blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that ^[c]they will not see the ^(Q)light of the gospel of the ^(R)glory of Christ, who is the ^(S)image of God.

^14 (A)I am the good shepherd, and ^(B)I know My own, and My own know Me, ¹⁵ just as ^(C)the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and ^(D)I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have ^(E)other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become ^(F)one flock, with ^(G)one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves Me, because I ^(H)lay down My life so that I may take it back. ^18 (I)No one has taken it away from Me, but I ^(J)lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. ^(K)This commandment I received from My Father.”

^25 (A)The one who loves his ^[a]life loses it, and the one who ^(B)hates his ^[b]life in this world will keep it ^[c]to eternal life.

¹⁶ We know love by this, that ^(A)He laid down His life for us; and ^(B)we ought to lay down our lives for the ^(C)brothers and sisters.