⁵¹ Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(A)

⁵² At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(B) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham?^(C) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(D) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^{(E) 55} Though you do not know him,^(F) I know him.^(G) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^{(H) 56} Your father Abraham^(I) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(J) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,^(K) I am!”^{(L) 59} At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(M) but Jesus hid himself,^(N) slipping away from the temple grounds.

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

⁵ This is the message we have heard^(A) from him and declare to you: God is light;^(B) in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,^(C) we lie and do not live out the truth.^{(D) 7} But if we walk in the light,^(E) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.^(F)

⁸ If we claim to be without sin,^(G) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.^{(H) 9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins^(I) and purify us from all unrighteousness.^{(J) 10} If we claim we have not sinned,^(K) we make him out to be a liar^(L) and his word is not in us.^(M)