Jesus the Light of the World

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

Now [a]early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and (A)taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, [b]this woman was caught in (B)adultery, in the very act. (C)Now [c]Moses, in the law, commanded us [d]that such should be stoned. But what do You [e]say?” This they said, testing Him, that they (D)might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, [f]as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He [g]raised Himself up and said to them, (E)“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, (F)being[h] convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [i]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [j]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, (G)“Neither do I condemn you; go [k]and (H)sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, (I)“I am the light of the world. He who (J)follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Jesus Defends His Self-Witness

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, (K)“You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not [l]true.”

14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but (L)you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 (M)You judge according to the flesh; (N)I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for (O)I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 (P)It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and (Q)the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, (R)“You know neither Me nor My Father. (S)If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

20 These words Jesus spoke in (T)the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and (U)no one laid hands on Him, for (V)His hour had not yet come.

Jesus Predicts His Departure

21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and (W)you will seek Me, and (X)will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

23 And He said to them, (Y)“You are from beneath; I am from above. (Z)You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 (AA)Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; (AB)for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I (AC)have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but (AD)He who sent Me is true; and (AE)I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you (AF)lift[m] up the Son of Man, (AG)then you will know that I am He, and (AH)that I do nothing of Myself; but (AI)as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And (AJ)He who sent Me is with Me. (AK)The Father has not left Me alone, (AL)for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, (AM)many believed in Him.

The Truth Shall Make You Free

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you (AN)abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the (AO)truth, and (AP)the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, (AQ)“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (AR)whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And (AS)a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 (AT)Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but (AU)you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 (AV)I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have [n]seen with your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, (AW)“Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, (AX)“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 (AY)But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth (AZ)which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; (BA)we have one Father—God.”

42 Jesus said to them, (BB)“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for (BC)I proceeded forth and came from God; (BD)nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 (BE)Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 (BF)You are of your father the devil, and the (BG)desires of your father you want to (BH)do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and (BI)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 (BJ)He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Before Abraham Was, I AM

48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and (BK)have a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and (BL)you dishonor Me. 50 And (BM)I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, (BN)if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (BO)have a demon! (BP)Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. (BQ)Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

54 Jesus answered, (BR)“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. (BS)It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is [o]your God. 55 Yet (BT)you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and (BU)keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham (BV)rejoiced to see My day, (BW)and 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, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (BX)before Abraham was, (BY)I AM.”

59 Then (BZ)they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, (CA)going[p] through the midst of them, and so passed by.

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, (CB)who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, (CC)but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (CD)I[q] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is (CE)day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, (CF)I am the light of the world.”

When He had said these things, (CG)He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash (CH)in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So (CI)he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was [r]blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

Some said, “This is he.” Others said, [s]“He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11 He answered and said, (CJ)“A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to [t]the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not [u]keep the Sabbath.”

Others said, (CK)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (CL)there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, (CM)“He is a prophet.”

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because (CN)they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he (CO)would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, (CP)“Give God the glory! (CQ)We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God (CR)spoke to (CS)Moses; as for this fellow, (CT)we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered and said to them, (CU)“Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that (CV)God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 (CW)If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

34 They answered and said to him, (CX)“You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they [v]cast him out.

True Vision and True Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had (CY)found him, He said to him, “Do you (CZ)believe in (DA)the Son of [w]God?”

36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and (DB)it is He who is talking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he (DC)worshiped Him.

39 And Jesus said, (DD)“For judgment I have come into this world, (DE)that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, (DF)and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

41 Jesus said to them, (DG)“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Jesus the True Shepherd

10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by (DH)name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a (DI)stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came [x]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. (DJ)I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 (DK)“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [y]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (DL)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and (DM)I know My sheep, and (DN)am known by My own. 15 (DO)As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; (DP)and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And (DQ)other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; (DR)and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father (DS)loves Me, (DT)because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I (DU)have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (DV)This command I have received from My Father.”

19 Therefore (DW)there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, (DX)“He has a demon and is [z]mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. (DY)Can a demon (DZ)open the eyes of the blind?”

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep

22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, (EA)in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in [aa]doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. (EB)The works that I do in My Father’s name, they (EC)bear witness of Me. 26 But (ED)you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, [ab]as I said to you. 27 (EE)My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 (EF)My Father, (EG)who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 (EH)I and My Father are one.”

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

31 Then (EI)the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for (EJ)blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, (EK)make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, (EL)‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, (EM)to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture (EN)cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him (EO)whom the Father sanctified and (EP)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ (EQ)because I said, ‘I am (ER)the Son of God’? 37 (ES)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, (ET)believe the works, that you may know and [ac]believe (EU)that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 (EV)Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

The Believers Beyond Jordan

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place (EW)where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, (EX)but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 8:2 M very early
  2. John 8:4 M we found this woman
  3. John 8:5 M in our law Moses commanded
  4. John 8:5 NU, M to stone such
  5. John 8:5 M adds about her
  6. John 8:6 NU, M omit as though He did not hear
  7. John 8:7 M He looked up
  8. John 8:9 NU, M omit being convicted by their conscience
  9. John 8:10 NU omits and saw no one but the woman; M He saw her and said,
  10. John 8:10 NU, M omit of yours
  11. John 8:11 NU, M add from now on
  12. John 8:13 valid as testimony
  13. John 8:28 Crucify
  14. John 8:38 NU heard from
  15. John 8:54 NU, M our
  16. John 8:59 NU omits the rest of v. 59.
  17. John 9:4 NU We
  18. John 9:8 NU a beggar
  19. John 9:9 NU “No, but he is like him.”
  20. John 9:11 NU omits the pool of
  21. John 9:16 observe
  22. John 9:34 Excommunicated him
  23. John 9:35 NU Man
  24. John 10:8 M omits before Me
  25. John 10:12 hired man
  26. John 10:20 insane
  27. John 10:24 Suspense
  28. John 10:26 NU omits as I said to you
  29. John 10:38 NU understand

but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(A)

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

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 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(F) at her.”(G) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

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,”(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(I)


Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

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

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

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.(N) But you have no idea where I come from(O) or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;(P) I pass judgment on no one.(Q) 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.(R) 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.(S) 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”(T)

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

“You do not know me or my Father,”(U) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(V) 20 He spoke these words while teaching(W) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.(X) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.(Y)

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(Z) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”(AA)

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.(AB) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,(AC) 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,(AD) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”(AE)

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man,(AF) 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.(AG) 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,(AH) for I always do what pleases him.”(AI) 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.(AJ)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

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

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(AM) 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.(AN) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(AO) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(AP) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(AQ) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(AR) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[b](AS)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

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

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

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(AY) for I have come here from God.(AZ) I have not come on my own;(BA) God sent me.(BB) 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,(BC) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(BD) 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.(BE) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(BF) 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.(BG) 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(BH) and demon-possessed?”(BI)

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;(BJ) 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.”(BK)

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

54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(BN) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(BO) 55 Though you do not know him,(BP) I know him.(BQ) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(BR) 56 Your father Abraham(BS) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(BT) 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,(BU) I am!”(BV) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(BW) but Jesus hid himself,(BX) slipping away from the temple grounds.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(BY) who sinned,(BZ) this man(CA) or his parents,(CB) that he was born blind?”

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

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

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(CI) 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.”(CJ)

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.(CK) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(CL) “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.”(CM)

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

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.”(CP)

18 They(CQ) 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,(CR) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(CS) of the synagogue.(CT) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(CU)

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

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(CX) 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!(CY) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(CZ)

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.(DA) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(DB) he could do nothing.”

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

Spiritual Blindness

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

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

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

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

39 Jesus said,[d] “For judgment(DJ) I have come into this world,(DK) so that the blind will see(DL) and those who see will become blind.”(DM)

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

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.(DO)

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.(DP) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(DQ) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(DR) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(DS) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(DT) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(DU) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(DV)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(DW) the gate(DX) for the sheep. All who have come before me(DY) are thieves and robbers,(DZ) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[e] 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,(EA) and have it to the full.(EB)

11 “I am(EC) the good shepherd.(ED) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(EE) 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.(EF) 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;(EG) I know my sheep(EH) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(EI)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(EJ) 16 I have other sheep(EK) 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(EL) and one shepherd.(EM) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(EN)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(EO) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(EP)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(EQ) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(ER) and raving mad.(ES) Why listen to him?”

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

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

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

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(EY) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(EZ) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(FA) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(FB) and they follow me.(FC) 28 I give them eternal life,(FD) and they shall never perish;(FE) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(FF) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(FG) is greater than all[g];(FH) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(FI)

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(FJ) 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.”(FK)

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(FL) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[h]?(FM) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(FN) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(FO) 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(FP) as his very own(FQ) and sent into the world?(FR) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(FS) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(FT) 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.”(FU) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(FV) but he escaped their grasp.(FW)

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(FX) 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,(FY) all that John said about this man was true.”(FZ) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(GA)

Footnotes

  1. John 8:28 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  2. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  3. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then
  4. John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
  5. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  6. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  7. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  8. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6