Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want^[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders^(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.^{(B) 2} But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles^(C) was near, ³ Jesus’ brothers^(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. ⁴ No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.^(E)

⁶ Therefore Jesus told them, “My time^(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me^(G) because I testify that its works are evil.^{(H) 8} You go to the festival. I am not^[b] going up to this festival, because my time^(I) has not yet fully come.” ⁹ After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

¹⁰ However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. ¹¹ Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus^(J) and asking, “Where is he?”

¹² Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”^{(K) 13} But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.^(L)

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

¹⁴ Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.^{(M) 15} The Jews^(N) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning^(O) without having been taught?”^(P)

¹⁶ Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.^{(Q) 17} Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out^(R) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. ¹⁸ Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory,^(S) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. ¹⁹ Has not Moses given you the law?^(T) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”^(U)

²⁰ “You are demon-possessed,”^(V) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

²¹ Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,^(W) and you are all amazed. ²² Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision^(X) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),^(Y) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. ²³ Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? ²⁴ Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”^(Z)

Division Over Who Jesus Is

²⁵ At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?^{(AA) 26} Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities^(AB) really concluded that he is the Messiah?^{(AC) 27} But we know where this man is from;^(AD) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,^(AE) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.^(AF) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.^(AG) You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him^(AH) because I am from him and he sent me.”^(AI)

³⁰ At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,^(AJ) because his hour had not yet come.^{(AK) 31} Still, many in the crowd believed in him.^(AL) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs^(AM) than this man?”

³² The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

³³ Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,^(AN) and then I am going to the one who sent me.^{(AO) 34} You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”^(AP)

³⁵ The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered^(AQ) among the Greeks,^(AR) and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”^(AS)

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival,^(AT) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.^{(AU) 38} Whoever believes^(AV) in me, as Scripture has said,^(AW) rivers of living water^(AX) will flow from within them.”^{[c](AY) 39} By this he meant the Spirit,^(AZ) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.^(BA) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.^(BB)

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”^(BC)

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?^{(BD) 42} Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants^(BE) and from Bethlehem,^(BF) the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided^(BG) because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.^(BH)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”^(BI) the guards replied.

⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?”^(BJ) the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?^{(BK) 49} No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(BL) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”^(BM)

---

[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

⁵³ Then they all went home, 8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(BN)

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(BO) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(BP) Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(BQ) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(BR)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(BS) at her.”^{(BT) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”^(BU) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”^(BV)

---

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(BW) the light of the world.^(BX) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(BY)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(BZ)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(CA) But you have no idea where I come from^(CB) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(CC) I pass judgment on no one.^{(CD) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(CE) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(CF) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(CG)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(CH) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(CI) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(CJ) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(CK) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(CL)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

²¹ Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die^(CM) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”^(CN)

²² This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

²³ But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.^{(CO) 24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,^(CP) you will indeed die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶ “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,^(CQ) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”^(CR)

²⁷ They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up^[d] the Son of Man,^(CS) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.^{(CT) 29} The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,^(CU) for I always do what pleases him.”^{(CV) 30} Even as he spoke, many believed in him.^(CW)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(CX) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(CY)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(CZ) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(DA) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(DB) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(DC) you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(DD) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(DE) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[e]”^(DF)

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(DG) said Jesus, “then you would^[f] do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^(DH) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^(DI) Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your own father.”^(DJ)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”^(DK)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(DL) for I have come here from God.^(DM) I have not come on my own;^(DN) God sent me.^{(DO) 43} Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil,^(DP) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(DQ) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^{(DR) 45} Yet because I tell the truth,^(DS) you do not believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(DT) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(DU) and demon-possessed?”^(DV)

⁴⁹ “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I am not seeking glory for myself;^(DW) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(DX)

⁵² At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(DY) 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?^(DZ) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(EA) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^{(EB) 55} Though you do not know him,^(EC) I know him.^(ED) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^{(EE) 56} Your father Abraham^(EF) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(EG) 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,^(EH) I am!”^{(EI) 59} At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(EJ) but Jesus hid himself,^(EK) slipping away from the temple grounds.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,^(EL) who sinned,^(EM) this man^(EN) or his parents,^(EO) that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.^{(EP) 4} As long as it is day,^(EQ) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”^(ER)

⁶ After saying this, he spit^(ES) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”^(ET) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.^(EU)

⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”^{(EV) 9} Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”^(EW)

¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.^{(EX) 15} Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.^(EY) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”^(EZ)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”^(FA) So they were divided.^(FB)

¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”^(FC)

¹⁸ They^(FD) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

²⁰ “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,^(FE) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out^(FF) of the synagogue.^{(FG) 23} That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”^(FH)

²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”^(FI) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”^(FJ)

²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already^(FK) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!^{(FL) 29} We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”^(FM)

³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.^{(FN) 32} Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God,^(FO) he could do nothing.”

³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;^(FP) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.^(FQ)

Spiritual Blindness

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe^(FR) in the Son of Man?”^(FS)

³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”^(FT)

³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”^(FU)

³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.^(FV)

³⁹ Jesus said,^[g] “For judgment^(FW) I have come into this world,^(FX) so that the blind will see^(FY) and those who see will become blind.”^(FZ)

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”^(GA)

⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.^(GB)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{(GC) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(GD) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(GE) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(GF) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{(GG) 5} But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech,^(GH) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(GI)

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(GJ) the gate^(GK) for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me^(GL) are thieves and robbers,^(GM) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[h] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(GN) and have it to the full.^(GO)

¹¹ “I am^(GP) the good shepherd.^(GQ) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(GR) 12} The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^(GS) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(GT) I know my sheep^(GU) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(GV)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(GW) 16} I have other sheep^(GX) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(GY) and one shepherd.^{(GZ) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(HA)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(HB) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(HC)

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(HD) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(HE) and raving mad.^(HF) Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(HG) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(HH)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[i] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(HI) 24} The Jews^(HJ) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^(HK)

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(HL) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(HM) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(HN) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(HO) and they follow me.^{(HP) 28} I give them eternal life,^(HQ) and they shall never perish;^(HR) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(HS) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(HT) is greater than all^[j];^(HU) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(HV)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^{(HW) 32} but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”^(HX)

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(HY) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[k]?^{(HZ) 35} If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(IA) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(IB)— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart^(IC) as his very own^(ID) and sent into the world?^(IE) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(IF) 37} Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^{(IG) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”^{(IH) 39} Again they tried to seize him,^(II) but he escaped their grasp.^(IJ)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(IK) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,^(IL) all that John said about this man was true.”^{(IM) 42} And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(IN)

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,^(IO) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.^{(IP) 2} (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)^{(IQ) 3} So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love^(IR) is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory^(IS) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”^(IT)

⁸ “But Rabbi,”^(IU) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,^(IV) and yet you are going back?”

⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.^{(IW) 10} It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend^(IX) Lazarus has fallen asleep;^(IY) but I am going there to wake him up.”

¹² His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.^(IZ)

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas^(JA) (also known as Didymus^[l]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.^{(JB) 18} Now Bethany^(JC) was less than two miles^[m] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.^{(JD) 20} When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.^(JE)

²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.^{(JF) 22} But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”^(JG)

²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection^(JH) at the last day.”^(JI)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(JJ) the resurrection and the life.^(JK) The one who believes^(JL) in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing^(JM) in me will never die.^(JN) Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah,^(JO) the Son of God,^(JP) who is to come into the world.”^(JQ)

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher^(JR) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.^{(JS) 31} When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,^(JT) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”^(JU)

³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^(JV) in spirit and troubled.^{(JW) 34} “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵ Jesus wept.^(JX)

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”^(JY)

³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man^(JZ) have kept this man from dying?”^(KA)

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved,^(KB) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.^{(KC) 39} “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”^(KD)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,^(KE) you will see the glory of God?”^(KF)

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up^(KG) and said, “Father,^(KH) I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,^(KI) that they may believe that you sent me.”^(KJ)

⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”^{(KK) 44} The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,^(KL) and a cloth around his face.^(KM)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,^(KN) and had seen what Jesus did,^(KO) believed in him.^{(KP) 46} But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees^(KQ) called a meeting^(KR) of the Sanhedrin.^(KS)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.^{(KT) 48} If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas,^(KU) who was high priest that year,^(KV) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”^(KW)

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.^{(KX) 53} So from that day on they plotted to take his life.^(KY)

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.^(KZ) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

⁵⁵ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,^(LA) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing^(LB) before the Passover.