31 (A)If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not [a]true. 32 There is (B)another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

Testimony of John the Baptist

33 You have sent messengers to John, and he (C)has testified to the truth. 34 But (D)the testimony I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was (E)the lamp that was burning and shining, and you (F)were willing to rejoice for [b]a while in his light.

Testimony of Works

36 But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for (G)the works which the Father has given Me (H)to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father (I)has sent Me.

Testimony of the Father

37 And the Father who sent Me, (J)He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 Also you do not have (K)His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He (L)sent.

Testimony of the Scripture

39 [c](M)You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is (N)those very Scriptures that testify about Me; 40 and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 (O)I do not receive glory from people; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not [d]receive Me; (P)if another comes in his own name, you will [e]receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you [f](Q)accept [g]glory from one another and you do not seek (R)the [h]glory that is from (S)the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (T)Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for (U)he wrote about Me. 47 But (V)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

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Footnotes

  1. John 5:31 I.e., admissible as legal evidence
  2. John 5:35 Lit an hour
  3. John 5:39 Or (a command) Examine the Scriptures
  4. John 5:43 Or accept
  5. John 5:43 Or accept
  6. John 5:44 Or receive
  7. John 5:44 Or honor
  8. John 5:44 Or honor

30-37a “By myself I can do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is true because I do not live to please myself but to do the will of the Father who sent me. You may say that I am bearing witness about myself, that therefore what I say about myself has no value, but I would remind you that there is one who witnesses about me and I know that his witness about me is absolutely true. You sent to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that it is man’s testimony that I accept—I only tell you this to help you to be saved. John certainly was a lamp that burned and shone, and for a time you were willing to enjoy the light that he gave. But I have a higher testimony than John’s. The work that the Father gave me to complete, yes, these very actions which I do are my witness that the Father has sent me. This is how the Father who has sent me has given his own personal testimony to me.

37b-47 “Now you have never at any time heard what he says or seen what he is like. Nor do you really believe his word in your hearts, for you refuse to believe the man who he has sent. You pore over the scriptures for you imagine that you will find eternal life in them. And all the time they give their testimony to me! But you are not willing to come to me to have real life! Men’s approval or disapproval means nothing to me, but I can tell that you have none of the love of God in your hearts. I have come in the name of my Father and you will not accept me. Yet if another man comes simply in his own name, you will accept him. How on earth can you believe while you are for ever looking for each other’s approval and not for the glory that comes from the one God? There is no need for you to think that I have come to accuse you before the Father. You already have an accuser—Moses, in whom you put all your confidence! For if you really believed Moses, you would be bound to believe me; for is was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say”?

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