John 5:31-47

Contemporary English Version

Witnesses to Jesus

³¹ If I speak for myself, there is no way to prove I am telling the truth. ³² But there is someone else who speaks for me, and I know what he says is true. ^33 (A) You sent messengers to John, and he told them the truth. ³⁴ I don't depend on what people say about me, but I tell you these things so that you may be saved. ^35 (B) John was a lamp that gave a lot of light, and you were glad to enjoy his light for a while.

³⁶ But something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me.

^37 (C) The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. ³⁸ You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent.

^39 (D) You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, ⁴⁰ but you refuse to come to me for eternal life.

⁴¹ I don't care about human praise, ⁴² but I do know that none of you love God. ⁴³ I have come with my Father's authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own. ⁴⁴ How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don't care about praise that the only God can give!

⁴⁵ Don't think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. ⁴⁶ Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. ⁴⁷ But if you don't believe what Moses wrote, how can you believe what I say?