3 These sons of David were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; second, Daniel (Chileab), of Abigail the Carmelitess;

² Third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; fourth, Adonijah, of Haggith;

³ Fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital; sixth, Ithream, of his wife Eglah.

⁴ These six were born to David in Hebron; there he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.

⁵ These were born to [David] in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon—four of Bathshua (Bathsheba) daughter of Ammiel (Eliam);

⁶ Then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet,

⁷ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

⁸ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine in all.

⁹ These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

¹⁰ Solomon’s descendants [omitting nonreigning offspring] were: his son Rehoboam. Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,

¹¹ Jehoram (Joram) his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

¹² Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,

¹³ Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,

¹⁴ Amon his son, Josiah his son.

¹⁵ The descendants of Josiah: firstborn, Johanan; second, Jehoiakim; third, Zedekiah; fourth, Shallum.

¹⁶ The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) his son, Zedekiah his son.

¹⁷ The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive: Shealtiel his son,

¹⁸ Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

¹⁹ The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, Hananiah. And Shelomith was their sister;

²⁰ And Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, [and] Jushab-hesed—five [the sons of Meshullam?].

²¹ The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, whose son was Rephaiah, his son Arnan, his son Obadiah, his son Shecaniah.

²² The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat—six in all.

²³ The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam—three in all.

²⁴ The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.

4 The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

² Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.

³ These were the sons of [Hur] the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was Hazzelelponi.

⁴ And Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the eldest of Ephrathah (Ephrath), the father of Bethlehem.

⁵ Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

⁶ Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were Naarah’s sons.

⁷ The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

⁸ Koz was the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum.

⁹ Jabez was honorable above his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez [sorrow maker], saying, Because I bore him in pain.

¹⁰ Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request.

¹¹ Chelub the brother of Shuhah was the father of Mehir, the father of Eshton.

¹² Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah.

¹³ The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath [and Meonothai].

¹⁴ Meonothai was father of Ophrah, and Seraiah of Joab the father of Ge-harashim [the Valley of Craftsmen], so named because they were craftsmen.

¹⁵ The sons of Caleb [Joshua’s companion] son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.

¹⁶ The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

¹⁷ The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. ^[a]These are the sons of Bithiah daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married: she bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

¹⁸ And Mered’s Jewish wife bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.

¹⁹ The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

²⁰ The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.

²¹ The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

²² And Jokim, the men of Cozeba, Joash, and Saraph, who ruled in Moab, and returned to [Bethlehem]. These are ancient matters.

²³ These were the potters and those who dwelt among plantations and hedges at Netaim and Gederah; there they dwelt with the king for his work.

²⁴ The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul;

²⁵ Shallum was his [Shaul’s] son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.

²⁶ The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.

²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; neither did all their family multiply like the children of Judah.

²⁸ They dwelt at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual,

²⁹ Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

³¹ Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their towns [and villages] until the reign of David.

³² There were also Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns—

³³ And all their villages that were round about these towns, as far as Baal[-ath-beer]. These were their settlements, and they had their genealogical record.

³⁴ Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

³⁵ Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,

³⁶ Also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

³⁷ Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

³⁸ These mentioned by name were princes in their families; and their fathers’ houses increased greatly [so they needed more room].

³⁹ And they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor to the east side of the valley to seek pasture for their flocks.

⁴⁰ And they found rich, good pasture, and the [cleared] land was wide, quiet, and peaceful, because people of Ham had dwelt there of old [and had left it a better place for those who came after them].

⁴¹ And these registered by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and destroyed their tents and the Meunim [foreigners] who were found there and exterminated them to this day, and they settled in their stead, because there was pasture for their flocks.

⁴² And some of them from the sons of Simeon, 500 men, went to Mount Seir, having for their leaders Pelatiah, and Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

⁴³ They destroyed the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and they have dwelt there to this day.

5 Now [we come to] the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. For [Reuben] was the eldest, but because he polluted his father’s couch [with Bilhah his father’s concubine] his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph [favorite] son of Israel; so the genealogy is not to be reckoned according to the birthright.^(A)

² Judah prevailed above his brethren, and from him came the prince and leader [and eventually the Messiah]; yet the birthright was Joseph’s.^(B)

³ The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

⁴ The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

⁵ Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

⁶ Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive; he was a prince of the Reubenites.

⁷ And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief Jeiel, and Zechariah,

⁸ Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.

⁹ Eastward [Bela] inhabited the land as far as the entrance into the desert this [west] side of the river Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead.

¹⁰ In the days of [King] Saul they made war with the Hagrites or Ishmaelites, who fell by their hands; they dwelt in their tents in all the land east of Gilead.

¹¹ The children of Gad who dwelt opposite them in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah:

¹² Joel the chief, Shapham the next, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

¹³ Their kinsmen of the houses of their fathers: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.

¹⁴ These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

¹⁵ Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was chief in their fathers’ houses.

¹⁶ They dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the suburbs and pasturelands of Sharon to their limits.

¹⁷ All these were enrolled by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam [II] king of Israel.

¹⁸ The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—valiant men able to bear buckler and sword and to shoot with bow and skillful in war—were 44,760 able and ready to go forth to war.

¹⁹ And [these Israelites, on the east side of the Jordan River] made war with the Hagrites [a tribe of northern Arabia], Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.

²⁰ They were given help against them, and the Hagrites or Ishmaelites were delivered into their hands, and all who were allied with them, for they cried to God in the battle; and He granted their entreaty, because they relied on, clung to, and trusted in Him.

²¹ And [these Israelites] took away their adversaries’ herds: of their camels 50,000, and of sheep 250,000, and of donkeys 2,000, and of the lives of men 100,000.

²² For a great number fell mortally wounded, because the battle was God’s. And [these Israelites] dwelt in their territory until the captivity [by Assyria more than five centuries later].^(C)

²³ And the people of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land; their settlements spread from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.

²⁴ And these were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of strength of mind and spirit [enabling them to encounter danger with firmness and personal bravery], famous men, and heads of the houses of their fathers.

²⁵ They transgressed against the God of their fathers and played the harlot [by unfaithfulness to their own God and running] after the gods of the native peoples, whom God had destroyed before them.

²⁶ So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, [that is,] the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [^[a]court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them,

³ When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him.

⁴ Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.

⁵ Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women—offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?^(A)

⁶ This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.

⁷ However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

⁸ Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.

⁹ They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.

¹⁰ When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?

¹¹ She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.

¹² Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.

¹³ Whereupon the Pharisees told Him, You are testifying on Your own behalf; Your testimony is not valid and is worthless.

¹⁴ Jesus answered, Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is true and reliable and valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

¹⁵ You [set yourselves up to] judge according to the flesh (by what you see). [You condemn by external, human standards.] I do not [set Myself up to] judge or condemn or sentence anyone.

¹⁶ Yet even if I do judge, My judgment is true [My decision is right]; for I am not alone [in making it], but [there are two of Us] I and the Father, Who sent Me.

¹⁷ In your [own] Law it is written that the testimony (evidence) of two persons is reliable and valid.^(B)

¹⁸ I am One [of the Two] bearing testimony concerning Myself; and My Father, Who sent Me, He also testifies about Me.

¹⁹ Then they said to Him, Where is this ^[b]Father of Yours? Jesus answered, You know My Father as little as you know Me. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.

²⁰ Jesus said these things in the treasury while He was teaching in the temple [^[c]court]; but no one ventured to arrest Him, because His hour had not yet come.

²¹ Therefore He said again to them, I am going away, and you will be looking for Me, and you will die in (under the curse of) your sin. Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come.

²² At this the Jews began to ask among themselves, Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come?

²³ He said to them, You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world (of this earthly order); I am not of this world.

²⁴ That is why I told you that you will die in (under the curse of) your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He [Whom I claim to be—if you do not adhere to, trust in, and rely on Me], you will die in your sins.

²⁵ Then they said to Him, Who are You anyway? Jesus replied, [Why do I even speak to you!] I am exactly what I have been telling you from the first.

²⁶ I have much to say about you and to judge and condemn. But He Who sent Me is true (reliable), and I tell the world [only] the things that I have heard from Him.

²⁷ They did not perceive (know, understand) that He was speaking to them about the Father.

²⁸ So Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will realize (know, understand) that I am He [for Whom you look] and that I do nothing of Myself (of My own accord or on My own authority), but I say [exactly] what My Father has taught Me.

²⁹ And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.

³⁰ As He said these things, many believed in Him [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him].

³¹ So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.

³² And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

³³ They answered Him, We are Abraham’s offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?

³⁴ Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.

³⁵ Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.

³⁶ So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

³⁷ [Yes] I know that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no entrance (makes no progress, does not find any place) in you.

³⁸ I tell the things which I have seen and learned at My Father’s side, and your actions also reflect what you have heard and learned from your father.

³⁹ They retorted, Abraham is our father. Jesus said, If you were [truly] Abraham’s children, then you would do the works of Abraham [follow his example, do as Abraham did].

⁴⁰ But now [instead] you are wanting and seeking to kill Me, a Man Who has told you the truth which I have heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted.

⁴¹ You are doing the works of your [own] father. They said to Him, We are not illegitimate children and born out of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

⁴² Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me and respect Me and welcome Me gladly, for I proceeded (came forth) from God [out of His very presence]. I did not even come on My own authority or of My own accord (as self-appointed); but He sent Me.

⁴³ Why do you misunderstand what I say? It is because you are unable to hear what I am saying. [You cannot bear to listen to My message; your ears are shut to My teaching.]

⁴⁴ You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.

⁴⁵ But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [do not trust Me, do not rely on Me, or adhere to Me].

⁴⁶ Who of you convicts Me of wrongdoing or finds Me guilty of sin? Then if I speak truth, why do you not believe Me [trust Me, rely on, and adhere to Me]?

⁴⁷ Whoever is of God listens to God. [Those who belong to God hear the words of God.] This is the reason that you do not listen [to those words, to Me]: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him.

⁴⁸ The Jews answered Him, Are we not right when we say You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon [that You are under the power of an evil spirit]?

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, I am not possessed by a demon. On the contrary, I honor and reverence My Father and you dishonor (despise, vilify, and scorn) Me.

⁵⁰ However, I am not in search of honor for Myself. [I do not seek and am not aiming for My own glory.] There is One Who [looks after that; He] seeks [My glory], and He is the Judge.

⁵¹ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone observes My teaching [lives in accordance with My message, keeps My word], he will by no means ever see and experience death.

⁵² The Jews said to Him, Now we know that You are under the power of a demon (^[d]insane). Abraham died, and also the prophets, yet You say, If a man keeps My word, he will never taste of death into all eternity.

⁵³ Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and all the prophets died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, If I were to glorify Myself (magnify, praise, and honor Myself), I would have no real glory, for My glory would be nothing and worthless. [My honor must come to Me from My Father.] It is My Father Who glorifies Me [Who extols Me, magnifies, and praises Me], of Whom you say that He is your God.

⁵⁵ Yet you do not know Him or recognize Him and are not acquainted with Him, but I know Him. If I should say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word [obey His teachings, am faithful to His message].

⁵⁶ Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.^(C)

⁵⁷ Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?

⁵⁸ Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I Am.^(D)

⁵⁹ So they took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus, by mixing with the crowd, concealed Himself and went out of the temple [^[e]enclosure].

9 As He passed along, He noticed a man blind from his birth.

² His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?

³ Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him.

⁴ We must work the works of Him Who sent Me and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming on, when no man can work.

⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the world’s Light.

⁶ When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made clay (mud) with His saliva, and He spread it [as ointment] on the man’s eyes.

⁷ And He said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam—which means Sent. So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

⁸ When the neighbors and those who used to know him by sight as a beggar saw him, they said, Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?

⁹ Some said, It is he. Others said, No, but he looks very much like him. But he said, Yes, I am the man.

¹⁰ So they said to him, How were your eyes opened?

¹¹ He replied, The Man called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and I obtained my sight!

¹² They asked him, Where is He? He said, I do not know.

¹³ Then they conducted to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

¹⁴ Now it was on the Sabbath day that Jesus mixed the mud and opened the man’s eyes.

¹⁵ So now again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. And he said to them, He smeared mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.

¹⁶ Then some of the Pharisees said, This Man [Jesus] is not from God, because He does not observe the Sabbath. But others said, How can a man who is a sinner (a bad man) do such signs and miracles? So there was a difference of opinion among them.

¹⁷ Accordingly they said to the blind man again, What do you say about Him, seeing that He opened your eyes? And he said, He is [He must be] a prophet!

¹⁸ However, the Jews did not believe that he had [really] been blind and that he had received his sight until they called (summoned) the parents of the man.

¹⁹ They asked them, Is this your son, whom you reported as having been born blind? How then does he see now?

²⁰ His parents answered, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.

²¹ But as to how he can now see, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of age. Ask him; let him speak for himself and give his own account of it.

²² His parents said this because they feared [the leaders of] the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should acknowledge Jesus to be the Christ, he should be expelled and excluded from the synagogue.

²³ On that account his parents said, He is of age; ask him.

²⁴ So the second time they summoned the man who had been born blind, and said to him, Now give God the glory (praise). This ^[f]Fellow we know is only a sinner (a wicked person).

²⁵ Then he answered, I do not know whether He is a sinner and wicked or not. But one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind before, now I see.

²⁶ So they said to him, What did He [actually] do to you? How did He open your eyes?

²⁷ He answered, I already told you and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Can it be that you wish to become His disciples also?

²⁸ And they stormed at him [they jeered, they sneered, they reviled him] and retorted, You are His disciple yourself, but we are the disciples of Moses.

²⁹ We know for certain that God spoke with Moses, but as for this Fellow, we know nothing about where He hails from.

³⁰ The man replied, Well, this is astonishing! Here a Man has opened my eyes, and yet you do not know where He comes from. [That is amazing!]

³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him.

³² Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.

³³ If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything like this.

³⁴ They retorted, You were wholly born in sin [from head to foot]; and do you [presume to] teach us? So they cast him out [threw him clear outside the synagogue].

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had put him out, and meeting him He said, Do you believe in and adhere to the Son of Man ^[g]or the Son of God?

³⁶ He answered, Who is He, Sir? Tell me, that I may believe in and adhere to Him.

³⁷ Jesus said to him, You have seen Him; [in fact] He is talking to you right now.

³⁸ He called out, Lord, I believe! [I rely on, I trust, I cleave to You!] And he worshiped Him.

³⁹ Then Jesus said, I came into this world for judgment [as a Separator, in order that there may be ^[h] separation between those who believe on Me and those who reject Me], to make the sightless see and to make those who see become blind.

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were near, hearing this remark, said to Him, Are we also blind?

⁴¹ Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but because you now claim to have sight, your sin remains. [If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but because you insist, We do see clearly, you are unable to escape your guilt.]

10 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way (elsewhere, from some other quarter) is a thief and a robber.

² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

³ The watchman opens the door for this man, and the sheep listen to his voice and heed it; and he calls his own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out.

⁴ When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

⁵ They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call.

⁶ Jesus used this parable (illustration) with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.

⁷ So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door ^[i]for the sheep.

⁸ All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them.

⁹ I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.

¹⁰ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it ^[j]overflows).

¹¹ I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.^(E)

¹² But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].

¹³ Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].

¹⁴ I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—

¹⁵ Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father—and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep.

¹⁶ And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and ^[k]impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd.^(F)

¹⁷ For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life—to take it back again.

¹⁸ No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father.

¹⁹ Then a fresh division of opinion arose among the Jews because of His saying these things.

²⁰ And many of them said, He has a demon and He is mad (insane—He raves, He rambles). Why do you listen to Him?

²¹ Others argued, These are not the thoughts and the language of one possessed. Can a demon-possessed person open blind eyes?

²² After this the Feast of Dedication [of the reconsecration of the temple] was taking place at Jerusalem. It was winter,

²³ And Jesus was walking in Solomon’s Porch in the temple area.

²⁴ So the Jews surrounded Him and began asking Him, How long are You going to keep us in doubt and suspense? If You are really the Christ (the Messiah), tell us so plainly and openly.

²⁵ Jesus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me [you do not trust Me and rely on Me]. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father’s name bear witness concerning Me [they are My credentials and evidence in support of Me].

²⁶ But you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold [you are no sheep of Mine].

²⁷ The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.

²⁹ My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand.

³⁰ I and the Father are One.

³¹ Again the Jews ^[l]brought up stones to stone Him.

³² Jesus said to them, My Father has enabled Me to do many good deeds. [I have shown many acts of mercy in your presence.] For which of these do you mean to stone Me?

³³ The Jews replied, We are not going to stone You for a good act, but for blasphemy, because You, a mere ^[m]Man, make Yourself [out to be] God.

³⁴ Jesus answered, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods?^(G)

³⁵ So men are called gods [by the Law], men to whom God’s message came—and the Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled—

³⁶ [If that is true] do you say of the One Whom the Father consecrated and dedicated and set apart for Himself and sent into the world, You are blaspheming, because I said, I am the Son of God?

³⁷ If I am not doing the works [performing the deeds] of My Father, then do not believe Me [do not adhere to Me and trust Me and rely on Me].

³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, [at least] believe the works and have faith in what I do, in order that you may know and understand [clearly] that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father [One with Him].

³⁹ They sought again to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.

⁴⁰ He went back again across the Jordan to the locality where John was when he first baptized, and there He remained.

⁴¹ And many came to Him, and they kept saying, John did not perform a [single] sign or miracle, but everything John said about this Man was true.

⁴² And many [people] there became believers in Him. [They adhered to and trusted in and relied on Him.]

11 Now a certain man named Lazarus was ill. He was of Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.

² This Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was [now] sick.

³ So the sisters sent to Him, saying, Lord, he whom You love [so well] is sick.

⁴ When Jesus received the message, He said, This sickness is not to end in death; but [on the contrary] it is to honor God and to promote His glory, that the Son of God may be glorified through (by) it.

⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [They were His dear friends, and He held them in loving esteem.]

⁶ Therefore [even] when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He still stayed two days longer in the same place where He was.

⁷ Then after that interval He said to His disciples, Let us go back again to Judea.

⁸ The disciples said to Him, Rabbi, the Jews only recently were intending and trying to stone You, and are You [thinking of] going back there again?

⁹ Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? Anyone who walks about in the daytime does not stumble, because he sees [by] the light of this world.

¹⁰ But if anyone walks about in the night, he does stumble, because there is no light in him [the light is lacking to him].

¹¹ He said these things, and then added, Our friend Lazarus is at rest and sleeping; but I am going there that I may awaken him out of his sleep.

¹² The disciples answered, Lord, if he is sleeping, he will recover.

¹³ However, Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He referred to falling into a refreshing and natural sleep.

¹⁴ So then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead,

¹⁵ And for your sake I am glad that I was not there; it will help you to believe (to trust and rely on Me). However, let us go to him.

¹⁶ Then Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us go too, that we may die [be killed] along with Him.

¹⁷ So when Jesus arrived, He found that he [Lazarus] had already been in the tomb four days.

¹⁸ Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away,

¹⁹ And a considerable number of the Jews had gone out to see Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house.

²¹ Martha then said to Jesus, Master, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

²² And even now I know that whatever You ask from God, He will grant it to You.

²³ Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again.

²⁴ Martha replied, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

²⁵ Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live;

²⁶ And whoever continues to live and believes in (has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on) Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?

²⁷ She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed [I do believe] that You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), the Son of God, [even He] Who was to come into the world. [It is for Your coming that the world has waited.]

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, privately whispering to her, The Teacher is close at hand and is asking for you.

²⁹ When she heard this, she sprang up quickly and went to Him.

³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the same spot where Martha had met Him.

³¹ When the Jews who were sitting with her in the house and consoling her saw how hastily Mary had arisen and gone out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to pour out her grief there.

³² When Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she dropped down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

³³ When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who came with her [also] sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [He chafed in spirit and sighed and was disturbed.]

³⁴ And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see.

³⁵ Jesus wept.

³⁶ The Jews said, See how [tenderly] He loved him!

³⁷ But some of them said, Could not He Who opened a blind man’s eyes have prevented this man from dying?

³⁸ Now Jesus, again sighing repeatedly and deeply disquieted, approached the tomb. It was a cave (a hole in the rock), and a boulder lay against [the entrance to close] it.

³⁹ Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed, But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and ^[n]promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

⁴² Yes, I know You always hear and listen to Me, but I have said this on account of and for the benefit of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You did send Me [that You have made Me Your Messenger].

⁴³ When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out!

⁴⁴ And out walked the man who had been dead, his hands and feet wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] napkin bound around his face. Jesus said to them, Free him of the burial wrappings and let him go.

⁴⁵ Upon seeing what Jesus had done, many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Him. [They trusted in Him and adhered to Him and relied on Him.]

⁴⁶ But some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

⁴⁷ So the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the council (the Sanhedrin) and said, What are we to do? For this Man performs many signs (evidences, miracles).

⁴⁸ If we let Him alone to go on like this, everyone will believe in Him and adhere to Him, and the Romans will come and suppress and destroy and take away our [holy] place and our nation [^[o]our temple and city and our civil organization].

⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, declared, You know nothing at all!

⁵⁰ Nor do you understand or reason out that it is expedient and better for your own welfare that one man should die on behalf of the people than that the whole nation should perish (be destroyed, ruined).

⁵¹ Now he did not say this simply of his own accord [he was not self-moved]; but being the high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation,^(H)

⁵² And not only for the nation but also for the purpose of uniting into one body the children of God who have been scattered far and wide.^(I)

⁵³ So from that day on they took counsel and plotted together how they might put Him to death.

⁵⁴ For that reason Jesus no longer appeared publicly among the Jews, but left there and retired to the district that borders on the wilderness (the desert), to a village called Ephraim, and there He stayed with the disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Jewish Passover was at hand, and many from the country went up to Jerusalem in order that they might purify and consecrate themselves before the Passover.

⁵⁶ So they kept looking for Jesus and questioned among themselves as they were standing about in the temple [^[p]area], What do you think? Will He not come to the Feast at all?

⁵⁷ Now the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it to them, so that they might arrest Him.

12 So six days before the Passover Feast, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had died and whom He had raised from the dead.

² So they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at the table with Him.

³ Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said,

⁵ Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year’s wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?

⁶ Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections].

⁷ But Jesus said, Let her alone. It was [intended] that she should keep it for the time of My preparation for burial. [She has kept it that she might have it for the time of My ^[q]embalming.]

⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.

⁹ Now a great crowd of the Jews heard that He was at Bethany, and they came there, not only because of Jesus but that they also might see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,

¹¹ Because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [were withdrawing from and leaving the Judeans] and believing in and adhering to Jesus.

¹² The next day a vast crowd of those who had come to the Passover Feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And as they went, they kept shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He and praise to Him Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!^(J)

¹⁴ And Jesus, having found a young donkey, rode upon it, [just] as it is written in the Scriptures,

¹⁵ Do not fear, O Daughter of Zion! Look! Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!^(K)

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand and could not comprehend the meaning of these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.

¹⁷ The group that had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from among the dead kept telling it [bearing witness] to others.

¹⁸ It was for this reason that the crowd went out to meet Him, because they had heard that He had performed this sign (proof, miracle).

¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said among themselves, You see how futile your efforts are and how you accomplish nothing. See! The whole world is running after Him!

²⁰ Now among those who went up to worship at the Feast were some Greeks.

²¹ These came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and they made this request, Sir, we desire to see Jesus.

²² Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip together [went] and told Jesus.

²³ And Jesus answered them, The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted.

²⁴ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.

²⁵ Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.]

²⁶ If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [^[r]to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

²⁷ Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it].

²⁸ [Rather, I will say,] Father, glorify (honor and extol) Your [own] name! Then there came a voice out of heaven saying, I have already glorified it, and I will glorify it again.

²⁹ The crowd of bystanders heard the sound and said that it had thundered; others said, An angel has spoken to Him!

³⁰ Jesus answered, This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake.

³¹ Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out (expelled).

³² And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself.

³³ He said this to signify in what manner He would die.

³⁴ At this the people answered Him, We have learned from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, The Son of Man must be lifted up [on the cross]? Who is this Son of Man?^(L)

³⁵ So Jesus said to them, You will have the Light only a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness may not overtake and overcome you. He who walks about in the dark does not know where he goes [he is drifting].

³⁶ While you have the Light, believe in the Light [have faith in it, hold to it, rely on it], that you may become sons of the Light and be filled with Light. Jesus said these things, and then He went away and hid Himself from them [was lost to their view].

³⁷ Even though He had done so many miracles before them (right before their eyes), yet they still did not trust in Him and failed to believe in Him—

³⁸ So that what Isaiah the prophet said was fulfilled: Lord, who has believed our report and our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled and revealed)?^(M)

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe [they were unable to believe]. For Isaiah has also said,

⁴⁰ He has blinded their eyes and hardened and benumbed their [callous, degenerated] hearts [He has made their minds dull], to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their hearts and minds and repenting and turning to Me to heal them.

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.^(N)

⁴² And yet [in spite of all this] many even of the leading men (the authorities and the nobles) believed and trusted in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that [if they should acknowledge Him] they would be expelled from the synagogue;

⁴³ For they loved the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men [instead of and] more than the glory that comes from God. [They valued their credit with men more than their credit with God.]

⁴⁴ But Jesus loudly declared, The one who believes in Me does not [only] believe in and trust in and rely on Me, but [in believing in Me he believes] in Him Who sent Me.

⁴⁵ And whoever sees Me sees Him Who sent Me.

⁴⁶ I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me [whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] may not continue to live in darkness.

⁴⁷ If anyone hears My teachings and fails to observe them [does not keep them, but disregards them], it is not I who judges him. For I have not come to judge and to condemn and to pass sentence and to inflict penalty on the world, but to save the world.

⁴⁸ Anyone who rejects Me and persistently sets Me at naught, refusing to accept My teachings, has his judge [however]; for the [very] message that I have spoken will itself judge and convict him at the last day.

⁴⁹ This is because I have never spoken on My own authority or of My own accord or as self-appointed, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me orders [concerning] what to say and what to tell.^(O)

⁵⁰ And I know that His commandment is (means) eternal life. So whatever I speak, I am saying [exactly] what My Father has told Me to say and in accordance with His instructions.

13 [Now] before the Passover Feast began, Jesus knew (was fully aware) that the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. And as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and ^[s]to the highest degree.

² So [it was] during supper, Satan having already put the thought of betraying Jesus in the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son,

³ [That] Jesus, knowing (fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was [now] returning to God,

⁴ Got up from supper, took off His garments, and taking a [servant’s] towel, He fastened it around His waist.

⁵ Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the [servant’s] towel with which He was girded.

⁶ When He came to Simon Peter, [Peter] said to Him, Lord, are my feet to be washed by You? [Is it for You to wash my feet?]

⁷ Jesus said to him, You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later on.

⁸ Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with (^[t]in) Me [you have no share in companionship with Me].

⁹ Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, [wash] not only my feet, but my hands and my head too!

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean all over. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you.

¹¹ For He knew who was going to betray Him; that was the reason He said, Not all of you are clean.

¹² So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you?

¹³ You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am.

¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another’s feet.

¹⁵ For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.

¹⁶ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, A servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him.

¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed and happy and ^[u]to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them].

¹⁸ I am not speaking of and I do not mean all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He who eats ^[v]My bread with Me has raised up his heel against Me.^(P)

¹⁹ I tell you this now before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may be persuaded and believe that I am He [Who I say I am—the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah].

²⁰ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who receives and welcomes and takes into his heart any messenger of Mine receives Me [in just that way]; and he who receives and welcomes and takes Me into his heart receives Him Who sent Me [in that same way].

²¹ After Jesus had said these things, He was troubled (disturbed, agitated) in spirit and said, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, one of you will deliver Me up [one of you will be false to Me and betray Me]!

²² The disciples kept looking at one another, puzzled as to whom He could mean.

²³ One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved [whom He esteemed and delighted in], was reclining [next to Him] on Jesus’ bosom.

²⁴ So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask of whom He was speaking.

²⁵ Then leaning back against Jesus’ breast, he asked Him, Lord, who is it?

²⁶ Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I am going to give this morsel (bit) of food after I have dipped it. So when He had dipped the morsel of bread [into the dish], He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.

²⁷ Then after [he had taken] the bit of food, Satan entered into and took possession of [Judas]. Jesus said to him, What you are going to do, do ^[w]more swiftly than you seem to intend and ^[x]make quick work of it.

²⁸ But nobody reclining at the table knew why He spoke to him or what He meant by telling him this.

²⁹ Some thought that, since Judas had the money box (the purse), Jesus was telling him, Buy what we need for the Festival, or that he should give something to the poor.

³⁰ So after receiving the bit of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.

³¹ When he had left, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified! [Now He has achieved His glory, His honor, His exaltation!] And God has been glorified through and in Him.

³² And if God is glorified through and in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and He will glorify Him at once and not delay.

³³ [Dear] little children, I am to be with you only a little longer. You will look for Me and, as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: you are not able to come where I am going.

³⁴ I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, where are You going? Jesus answered, You are not able to follow Me now where I am going, but you shall follow Me afterwards.

³⁷ Peter said to Him, Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.

³⁸ Jesus answered, Will you [really] lay down your life for Me? I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me [completely disown Me] three times.

14 Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.

² In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you.

³ And when (if) I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

⁴ And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.

⁵ Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?

⁶ Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

⁷ If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father. From now on, you know Him and have seen Him.

⁸ Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father [cause us to see the Father—that is all we ask]; then we shall be satisfied.

⁹ Jesus replied, Have I been with all of you for so long a time, and do you not recognize and know Me yet, Philip? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say then, Show us the Father?

¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (^[y]His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power).

¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the [very] works themselves. [If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works that I do in My Father’s name convince you.]

¹² I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

¹³ And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as ^[z]presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son.^(Q)

¹⁴ [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as ^[aa]presenting all that I Am].

¹⁵ If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—

¹⁷ The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you.

¹⁹ Just a little while now, and the world will not see Me any more, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

²⁰ At that time [when that day comes] you will know [for yourselves] that I am in My Father, and you [are] in Me, and I [am] in you.

²¹ The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]

²² Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world?

²³ Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.

²⁴ Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me.

²⁵ I have told you these things while I am still with you.

²⁶ But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

²⁸ You heard Me tell you, I am going away and I am coming [back] to you. If you [really] loved Me, you would have been glad, because I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater and mightier than I am.

²⁹ And now I have told you [this] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe and have faith in and rely on Me.

³⁰ I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]

³¹ But [^[ab]Satan is coming and] I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know (be convinced) that I love the Father and that I do only what the Father has instructed Me to do. [I act in full agreement with His orders.] Rise, let us go away from here.

15 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

² Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

³ You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].

⁴ Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

⁵ I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

⁶ If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

⁸ When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

⁹ I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [^[ac]continue in His love with Me].

¹⁰ If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.

¹¹ I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.

¹² This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.

¹³ No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.

¹⁴ You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do.

¹⁵ I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]

¹⁶ You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as ^[ad]presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you.

¹⁷ This is what I command you: that you love one another.

¹⁸ If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.

¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.

²⁰ Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours.

²¹ But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin [would be blameless]; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

²³ Whoever hates Me also hates My Father.

²⁴ If I had not done (accomplished) among them the works which no one else ever did, they would not be guilty of sin. But [the fact is] now they have both seen [these works] and have hated both Me and My Father.

²⁵ But [this is so] that the word written in their Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without a cause.^(R)

²⁶ But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.

²⁷ But you also will testify and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.]

² They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God.

³ And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me.

⁴ But I have told you these things now, so that when they occur you will remember that I told you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵ But now I am going to Him Who sent Me, yet none of you asks Me, Where are You going?

⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts [taken complete possession of them].

⁷ However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].

⁸ And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:

⁹ About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me];

¹⁰ About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer;

¹¹ About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.

¹² I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now.

¹³ But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

¹⁴ He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

¹⁵ Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

¹⁶ In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me.

¹⁷ So some of His disciples questioned among themselves, What does He mean when He tells us, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me, and, Because I go to My Father?

¹⁸ What does He mean by a little while? We do not know or understand what He is talking about.

¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so He said to them, Are you wondering and inquiring among yourselves what I meant when I said, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me?

²⁰ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that you shall weep and grieve, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

²¹ A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief (anguish, agony) because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers her pain (trouble, anguish) because she is so glad that a man (a child, a human being) has been born into the world.

²² So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness, delight).

²³ And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as ^[ae]presenting all that I Am].^(S)

²⁴ Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as ^[af]presenting all that I Am]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.

²⁵ I have told you these things in parables (veiled language, allegories, dark sayings); the hour is now coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall tell you about the Father in plain words and openly (without reserve).

²⁶ At that time you will ask (pray) in My Name; and I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf [for it will be unnecessary].

²⁷ For the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father.

²⁸ I came out from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.

²⁹ His disciples said, Ah, now You are speaking plainly to us and not in parables (veiled language and figures of speech)!

³⁰ Now we know that You are acquainted with everything and have no need to be asked questions. Because of this we believe that you [really] came from God.

³¹ Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? [Do you believe it at last?]

³² But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

³³ I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

17 When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify and extol and honor and magnify You.

² [Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him.

³ And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.

⁴ I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do.

⁵ And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed.

⁶ I have manifested Your Name [I have revealed Your very Self, Your real Self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word.

⁷ Now [at last] they know and understand that all You have given Me belongs to You [is really and truly Yours].

⁸ For the [uttered] words that You gave Me I have given them; and they have received and accepted [them] and have come to know positively and in reality [to believe with absolute assurance] that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.

⁹ I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You.

¹⁰ All [things that are] Mine are Yours, and all [things that are] Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (through) them. [They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved.]

¹¹ And [now] I am no more in the world, but these are [still] in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your Name [^[ag]in the knowledge of Yourself] those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We [are one].

¹² While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name [^[ah]in the knowledge and worship of You]. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot—the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled.^(T)

¹³ And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts].

¹⁴ I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world.

¹⁵ I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.

¹⁶ They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.

¹⁷ Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

¹⁸ Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

¹⁹ And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth.

²⁰ Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching,

²¹ That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.

²² I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one:

²³ I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me.

²⁴ Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵ O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has failed to recognize You and has never acknowledged You, I have known You [continually]; and these men understand and know that You have sent Me.

²⁶ I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very ^[ai]Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them.

18 Having said these things, Jesus went out with His disciples beyond (across) the winter torrent of the Kidron [in the ravine]. There was a garden there, which He and His disciples entered.

² And Judas, who was betraying Him and delivering Him up, also knew the place, because Jesus had often retired there with His disciples.

³ So Judas, obtaining and taking charge of the band of soldiers and some guards (attendants) of the high priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.