John 12:36-46

Common English Bible

³⁶As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them.

Fulfillment of prophecy

³⁷Jesus had done many miraculous signs before the people, but they didn’t believe in him. ³⁸This was to fulfill the word of the prophet Isaiah:

Lord, who has believed through our message?
To whom is the arm of the Lord fully revealed?^[a]

³⁹Isaiah explains why they couldn’t believe:

⁴⁰He made their eyes blind
        and closed their minds
    so that they might not see with their eyes,
        understand with their minds,
        and turn their lives around—
    and I would heal them.^[b]

⁴¹Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory; he spoke about Jesus. ⁴²Even so, many leaders believed in him, but they wouldn’t acknowledge their faith because they feared that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. ⁴³They believed, but they loved human praise more than God’s glory.

Summary of Jesus’ teaching

⁴⁴Jesus shouted, “Whoever believes in me doesn’t believe in me but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. ⁴⁶I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness.

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