Jesus Is the Light for the World

^12 (A) Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

¹⁹ “Where is your Father?” they asked.

“You don't know me or my Father!” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father.”

²³ Jesus answered, “You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't.

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I honored myself, it would mean nothing. My Father is the one who honors me. You claim that he is your God, ⁵⁵ even though you don't really know him. If I said I didn't know him, I would be a liar, just like all of you. But I know him, and I do what he says. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham was really glad to see me.”

⁵⁷ “You are not even 50 years old!” they said. “How could you have seen Abraham?”

⁵⁸ Jesus answered, “I tell you for certain that even before Abraham was, I was, and I am.”^[a]