The Brothers of Jesus Argue with Him

7 Jesus did not stay in the country of Judea because the Jews were trying to kill Him. After this He went from place to place in the country of Galilee. ² A religious gathering of the Jews was near. This gathering was called the Supper of Tents. ³ The brothers of Jesus said to Him, “Leave here and go to the country of Judea. Let Your followers there see the things You do. ⁴ If a person wants others to know what he is doing, he does things to be seen. Since You are doing such things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ Not even His brothers were putting their trust in Him.

⁶ Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come. But any time is good for you. ⁷ The world cannot hate you but it hates Me. I speak against the world because of its sinful works. ⁸ You go to the religious gathering. I am not going yet. My time has not yet come.”

⁹ Jesus told His brothers this and then stayed in Galilee. ¹⁰ His brothers went to the religious gathering. He went later by Himself so He would not be seen there.

¹¹ At the religious gathering the Jews were looking for Jesus. They were saying, “Where is He?” ¹² There was much talk among the people about Him. Some said, “He is a good Man.” Others said, “No, He leads the people in the wrong way.” ¹³ No one spoke about Him in front of other people. They were afraid of the Jews.

Jesus Tells Where His Teaching Is From

¹⁴ The religious gathering was half over when Jesus went to the house of God and taught. ¹⁵ The Jews were surprised and wondered, saying, “How can this Man know so much when He has never been to school?”

¹⁶ Jesus said to them, “What I teach is not Mine. It is from God Who sent Me. ¹⁷ If anyone will do what God wants, he will know if My teaching is from God, or if I am speaking of Myself. ¹⁸ The man who speaks of himself is looking for greatness for himself. But He Who is looking for the greatness of the One Who sent Him is true. There is nothing false in Him. ¹⁹ Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. Why do you try to kill me?”

²⁰ The people said, “You have a demon in You. Who is trying to kill You?”

²¹ Jesus said to them, “I did one work and you are surprised. ²² Moses gave you the religious act of becoming a Jew. (Yet it was not from Moses but from the early fathers.) You do this religious act on a man on the Day of Rest. ²³ Now if you can do that, why are you angry with Me for healing a man on the Day of Rest? ²⁴ Do not say a person is guilty by what you see. Be sure you know when you say what is right or wrong.”

²⁵ Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is not this the Man the Jews want to kill? ²⁶ But see! This Man is speaking out in the open. They are saying nothing to Him. Do the leaders know this is the true Christ? ²⁷ We know where this Man came from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He comes from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice as He taught in the house of God. He said, “You know Me. You know where I came from. I have not come on My own. The One Who sent Me is true but you do not know Him. ²⁹ I know Him because I am from Him and He sent Me.”

³⁰ Then they wanted to take Jesus but no one put his hands on Him. His time had not yet come. ³¹ Many of the people believed in Him. They said, “When Christ comes, will He do more powerful works than this Man?”

³² The proud religious law-keepers heard the people talking about Jesus. The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers sent soldiers to take Him. ³³ Jesus said to them, “I will be with you a little while yet. Then I will go back to Him Who sent Me. ³⁴ You will look for Me but you will not find Me. Where I go, you cannot come.”

³⁵ The Jews said to themselves, “Where can He go that we will not find Him? Will He go to our people who live among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What does He mean when He says, ‘You will look for Me but you will not find Me, and where I go, you cannot come’?”

Jesus Promises to Give the Holy Spirit

³⁷ It was the last and great day of the religious gathering. Jesus stood up and spoke with a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ The Holy Writings say that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of the one who puts his trust in Me.” ³⁹ Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit Who would come to those who put their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Jesus had not yet been raised to the place of honor.

The People Cannot Make Up Their Minds Who He Is

⁴⁰ When many of the people heard His words, they said, “For sure, this is the One Who speaks for God.” ⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Christ!” Some said, “The Christ would not come from the country of Galilee, would He? ⁴² Do not the Holy Writings say that the Christ will come from the family of David? Will He not come from the town of Bethlehem where David lived?” ⁴³ The people were divided in what they thought about Him. ⁴⁴ Some of them wanted to take Him. But no one put their hands on Him.

⁴⁵ The soldiers came back to the religious leaders of the Jews and to the proud religious law-keepers. They said to the soldiers, “Why did you not bring Him?” ⁴⁶ The soldiers answered, “No man has ever spoken like this Man speaks.” ⁴⁷ The proud religious law-keepers said, “Have you been led the wrong way also? ⁴⁸ Has anyone of the leaders or anyone from our group believed in Him? ⁴⁹ As for all these people, they do not know the Law. They are guilty and will be punished by God.”

⁵⁰ (Nicodemus was one of the proud religious law-keepers. He had come to Jesus at another time.) Nicodemus said to them, ⁵¹ “Our Law does not say a man is guilty before he has been in court and before we know what he has done.” ⁵² They said to him, “Are you from Galilee also? Look into the Word of God yourself. You will see that no one who speaks for God comes from Galilee.” ⁵³ *Then everyone went home.

Jesus Speaks to the Teachers of the Law and the Proud Religious Law-Keepers

8 (*Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He went back to the house of God and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them.

³ The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They brought a woman who had been caught doing a sex sin. They made her stand in front of them all. ⁴ Then they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of doing a sex sin. ⁵ Moses told us in the Law to throw stones and kill a woman like this. What do You say about it?”

⁶ They were trying to set a trap to find something against Him. Jesus got down and began to write in the dust with His finger. ⁷ They kept on asking Him. Then He stood up and said, “Anyone of you who is without sin can throw the first stone at her.” ⁸ Again He got down and wrote in the dust. ⁹ When they heard what He said, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones until they were all gone. Then Jesus was left alone with the woman.

¹⁰ Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are those who spoke against you? Has no man said you are guilty?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Sir.” Jesus said to her, “Neither do I say you are guilty. Go on your way and do not sin again.”)

Jesus Teaches about the Light of the World

¹² Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.”

¹³ The proud religious law-keepers said to Him, “You are talking about Yourself. What You say about Yourself is not true.”

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Even if I speak of Myself, what I am saying is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You say as a man would say if people are guilty or not guilty. I am not saying anyone is guilty. ¹⁶ But even if I did, it would be true. I am not alone. The Father Who sent Me is with Me. ¹⁷ It is written in your Law that when two men agree about something, it proves it is true. ^{(A) 18} I speak for Myself and the Father Who sent Me speaks for Me.”

¹⁹ The proud religious law-keepers asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus said, “You do not know Me or My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

²⁰ Jesus spoke these words near the money box while He taught in the house of God. No one put his hands on Jesus because His time had not yet come.

Jesus Tells of His Going Away

²¹ Jesus spoke to the Jews again, saying, “I am going away. You will look for Me but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² The Jews said, “Will He kill Himself because He said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”

²³ He answered them, “You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. ²⁴ That is why I said that you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the Christ, you will die in your sins.”

²⁵ Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus answered, “The answer is the same as I told you from the beginning. ²⁶ I have much to say about you. I must say if you are guilty. But He Who sent Me is true. I tell the world the things I have heard from Him.”

²⁷ They did not understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the Christ. I do nothing of Myself. I say these things as My Father has taught Me. ²⁹ He that sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone. I always do what He wants Me to do.” ³⁰ As Jesus said these things, many people put their trust in Him. ³¹ He said to the Jews who believed, “If you keep and obey My Word, then you are My followers for sure. ³² You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”

Jesus Teaches What It Means to Be Free

³³ They said to Jesus, “We are children of Abraham. We have never been servants to anyone. What do you mean when You say, ‘You will be free’?” ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “For sure, I tell you, everyone who sins is the servant of sin because sin has a hold on him. ³⁵ And the servant does not belong in the house. The son belongs in the house. ³⁶ So if the Son makes you free, you will be free for sure.

³⁷ “I know that you are the children of Abraham. But you want to kill Me because My Word is not in your hearts. ³⁸ I speak of what I saw when I was with My Father. You do what you have seen your father do.”

³⁹ They said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said, “If you were children of Abraham, you would do what he did. ⁴⁰ I am a Man Who has told you the truth as I heard it from God. Now you are trying to kill Me. Abraham never did anything like that. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your father.” They said to Him, “We were born of parents who were faithful in marriage. We have one Father. He is God.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love Me. I came from God. I did not come on My own, but God sent Me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you do not want to hear My teaching. ⁴⁴ The devil is your father. You are from him. You want to do the sinful things your father, the devil, wants you to do. He has been a killer from the beginning. The devil has nothing to do with the truth. There is no truth in him. It is expected of the devil to lie, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ I tell you the truth and that is why you do not put your trust in Me. ⁴⁶ Which one of you can say I am guilty of sin? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷ Whoever is born of God listens to God’s Word. You do not hear His Word because you are not born of God.”

The Jews Say Jesus Has a Demon

⁴⁸ The Jews said to Jesus, “Are we not right when we say You are from the country of Samaria, and You have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus said, “No, I do not have a demon. I honor My Father. You do not honor Me. ⁵⁰ I am not looking for honor for Myself. There is One Who is looking for it. He says what is right from wrong. ⁵¹ For sure, I tell you, if anyone keeps My Word, that one will never die.”

⁵² Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know You have a demon. Abraham died. The early preachers died. You say, ‘If anyone keeps My Word, that one will never die.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the early preachers died. Who do You think You are?” ⁵⁴ Jesus said, “If I honor Myself, My honor would be worth nothing. My Father honors Me. You say He is your God. ⁵⁵ You have never known Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know the Father and obey His Word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham was glad that he was to see My coming. He saw it and was happy.”

⁵⁷ The Jews said to Jesus, “You are not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I was and am and always will be!”

⁵⁹ Then they picked up stones to throw at Him. Jesus hid Himself *and left the house of God.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Born Blind

9 As Jesus went on His way, He saw a man who had been born blind. ² His followers asked Him, “Teacher, whose sin made this man to be born blind? Was it the sin of this man or the sin of his parents?” ³ Jesus answered, “The sin of this man or the sin of his parents did not make him to be born blind. He was born blind so the work of God would be seen in him. ⁴ We must keep on doing the work of Him Who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no man can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

⁶ After Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground. He mixed it with dust and put that mud on the eyes of the blind man. ⁷ Then Jesus said to him, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.” (Siloam means Sent.) The man went away and washed. When he came back, he could see.

⁸ Neighbors and others had seen him begging. They said, “Is not this the man who sat and begged?” ⁹ Some said, “This is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But the man who had been blind said, “I am the man.” ¹⁰ They said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “A Man called Jesus made mud and put it on my eyes. Then He said to me, ‘Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.’ I went and washed and I can see.” ¹² Then they asked him, “Where is He?” He answered, “I do not know.”

The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Are Troubled about This Healing

¹³ They took the man who had been born blind to the proud religious law-keepers. ¹⁴ It was the Day of Rest when Jesus had made mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵ Again the proud religious law-keepers asked the man who had been born blind how he had been made to see. He answered them, “Jesus put mud on my eyes. I washed and now I see!” ¹⁶ Some of the proud religious law-keepers said, “The Man Who did this is not from God because He worked on the Day of Rest.” Others said, “How can a sinful man do powerful works?” They could not agree about Jesus. ¹⁷ They spoke again to the blind man, saying, “What do you say about Him since He opened your eyes?” He answered, “He is One Who speaks for God.”

¹⁸ The Jews did not believe this man had been blind and had been made to see. They called his parents ¹⁹ and asked them, “Is this your son? Do you say he was born blind? How does he see now?” ²⁰ They answered, “We know this is our son and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But we do not know how it is that he can see now. We do not know who opened his eyes. He is old enough, ask him. He can tell you himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had talked among themselves. They had agreed that the person who said that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the Jewish place of worship. ²³ That is why his parents said, “He is old enough, ask him.”

²⁴ The proud religious law-keepers asked the man again, who had been blind, to come. They said to him, “Give thanks to God. We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ The man who had been blind said to them, “I do not know if He is a sinner or not. One thing I know. I was blind, but now I can see.” ²⁶ They asked him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already. You did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His followers also?”

²⁸ The proud religious law-keepers became angry at him and said, “You are a follower of Jesus. We are followers of Moses. ²⁹ We know God spoke to Moses. We do not know where this Man is from.” ³⁰ The man said to them, “This is strange! You do not know where He came from and yet He opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. We know if anyone loves and worships God, and does what He wants, God listens to him. ³² From the beginning of the world no one has ever heard of anyone opening 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 said to him, “You were born in sin. Are you trying to teach us?” Then they put him out of the place of worship.

Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Proud Religious Law-Keepers

³⁵ Jesus heard that the proud religious law-keepers had put the man who had been healed out of the place of worship. He found the man and said to him, “Do you put your trust in the Son of God?” ³⁶ He said, “Who is He, Sir? Tell me so that I can put my trust in Him.” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him. He is talking with you.” ³⁸ He said, “I do put my trust in You, Lord.” Then he bowed down before Jesus and worshiped Him.

³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world to say what is right from wrong. I came so those who do not see might see, and those who do see might be made blind.” ⁴⁰ Some of the proud religious law-keepers who were with Him heard this. They said to Him, “Are we blind also?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But because you say, ‘We see,’ you still are guilty of your sin.

The Shepherd and the Door

10 “For sure, I tell you, the man who goes into the sheep-pen some other way than through the door is one who steals and robs. ² The shepherd of the sheep goes in through the door. ³ The one who watches the door opens it for him. The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out. ⁴ When the shepherd walks ahead of them, they follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow someone they do not know because they do not know his voice. They will run away from him.” ⁶ Jesus told this picture-story to them. Yet they did not understand what He said.

Jesus Is the Door

⁷ Again Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, I am the Door of the sheep. ⁸ All others who came ahead of Me are men who steal and rob. The sheep did not obey them. ⁹ I am the Door. Anyone who goes in through Me will be saved from the punishment of sin. He will go in and out and find food. ¹⁰ The robber comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came so they might have life, a great full life.

Jesus Teaches about the Good Shepherd

¹¹ “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ¹² One who is hired to watch the sheep is not the shepherd. He does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep. He runs away while the wolf gets the sheep and makes them run everywhere. ¹³ The hired man runs away because he is hired. He does not care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me. ¹⁵ I know My Father as My Father knows Me. I give My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep which are not from this sheep-pen. I must bring them also. They will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock with one shepherd.

¹⁷ “For this reason My Father loves Me. It is because I give My life that I might take it back again. ¹⁸ No one takes my life from Me. I give it by Myself. I have the right and the power to take it back again. My Father has given Me this right and power.”

¹⁹ Because of what He said, the Jews did not agree in their thinking. ²⁰ Many of them said, “He has a demon and is crazy. Why listen to Him?” ²¹ Others said, “A man who has a demon does not talk this way. Can a demon open the eyes of a blind man?”

Jesus Tells Who He Is

²² It was time for the religious gathering of remembering how the house of God was opened in Jerusalem. ²³ It was winter and Jesus was there. He was walking in Solomon’s porch in the house of God. ²⁴ The Jews gathered around Him. They said, “How long are You going to keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name speak of Me. ²⁶ You do not believe because you are not My sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice and I know them. They follow Me. ²⁸ I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be punished. No one is able to take them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father Who gave them to Me is greater than all. No one is able to take them out of My Father’s hand. ³⁰ My Father and I are one!”

Jesus Talks to Angry Men

³¹ Again the Jews picked up stones to throw at Him. ³² Jesus said to them, “Many good things have I shown you from My Father. For which of these things are you going to throw stones at Me?” ³³ They said, “We are not going to throw stones at You for any good work. It is because of the way You talk against God. It is because You make Yourself to be God when You are only a man.” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ^{(B) 35} The Holy Writings were given to them and God called them gods. (The Word of God cannot be put aside.) ³⁶ But God has set Me apart for Himself. He sent Me into the world. Then how can you say that I am speaking against God because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of My Father, do not believe Me. ³⁸ But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works that I do. Then you will know the Father is in Me and I am in Him.” ³⁹ They tried again to take Him but He got out of their hands.

Jesus Goes to the Other Side of the Jordan River

⁴⁰ Jesus went away to the other side of the Jordan River to the place where John was baptizing people. Jesus stayed there. ⁴¹ Many people came to Him and said, “John did no powerful work, but what John said about this Man is true.” ⁴² Many people put their trust in Jesus there.

Jesus Hears about Lazarus

11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. ² This was the Mary who put perfume on the Lord and dried His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. ³ The sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, your friend is sick!” ⁴ When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. It has happened so that it will bring honor to God. And the Son of God will be honored by it also.”

Jesus Tells of the Death of Lazarus

⁵ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ But when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. ⁷ Then He said to His followers, “Let us go into the country of Judea again.” ⁸ The followers said to Him, “Teacher, the Jews tried to throw stones at You to kill You not long ago. Are You going there again?” ⁹ Jesus said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks during the day, he will not fall. He sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ If a man walks during the night, he will fall. The light is not in him.”

¹¹ After Jesus had said this, He spoke again and said, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. I will go and wake him up.” ¹² The followers said to Him, “If he is sleeping, he will get well.” ¹³ But Jesus meant Lazarus was dead. They thought He meant Lazarus was resting in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ Because of you I am glad I was not there so that you may believe. Come, let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to the other followers, “Let us go also so we may die with Jesus.”

Jesus Tells That the Grave Will Not Hold the Dead

¹⁷ When Jesus got there, He heard that Lazarus had been in the grave four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was about one-half hour walk from Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give words of comfort about their brother.

²⁰ Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet Him. Mary stayed in the house. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² I know even now God will give You whatever You ask.” ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again when the dead are raised from the grave on the last day.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies. ²⁶ Anyone who lives and has put his trust in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the One Who was to come into the world.”

Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead

²⁸ After Martha said this, she went and called her sister Mary. She said without anyone else hearing, “The Teacher is here and has sent for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up and went to Him. ³⁰ Jesus had not yet come into their town. He was still where Martha had met Him.

³¹ The Jews had been in the house comforting Mary. They saw her get up and hurry out. They followed her and said, “She is going to the grave to cry there.” ³² Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw Him, she got down at His feet. She said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ Jesus saw her crying. The Jews who came with her were crying also. His heart was very sad and He was troubled. ³⁴ He said, “Where did you lay Lazarus?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Then Jesus cried. ³⁶ The Jews said, “See how much He loved Lazarus.” ³⁷ Some of them said, “This Man opened the eyes of the blind man. Could He not have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Jesus went to the grave with a sad heart. The grave was a hole in the side of a hill. A stone covered the door. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” The dead man’s sister, Martha, said to Him, “Lord, by now his body has a bad smell. He has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say that if you would believe, you would see the shining-greatness of God?”

⁴¹ They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank You for hearing Me. ⁴² I know You always hear Me. But I have said this for the people standing here, so they may believe You have sent Me.”

⁴³ When He had said this, He called with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were tied in grave clothes. A white cloth was tied around his face. Jesus said to the people, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go!”

The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Try to Think of a Way to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus had done put their trust in Him. ⁴⁶ Some of them went to the proud religious law-keepers and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers gathered a court together. They said, “What will we do? This Man is doing many powerful works. ⁴⁸ If we let Him keep doing these things, all men will put their trust in Him. The Romans will come and take away the house of God and our nation.” ⁴⁹ Caiaphas was the head religious leader that year. He said to them, “You know nothing about this. ⁵⁰ Do you not see it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?”

⁵¹ Caiaphas did not think of these words himself. He spoke what God had said would happen. He was telling before it happened that Jesus must die for the nation. ⁵² He must die not only for the nation, but also to bring together into one group the children of God who were living in many places.

⁵³ From that day on they talked together about how they might kill Jesus. ⁵⁴ For this reason Jesus did not walk out in the open among the Jews. He went to a town called Ephraim. It was near a desert. He stayed there with His followers.

The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Look for Jesus

⁵⁵ The special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt was soon. Many people from around the country came up to Jerusalem to go through the religious washing before the special supper. ⁵⁶ They looked for Jesus. They stood together in the house of God and asked each other, “What do you think? Will He come to the special supper?” ⁵⁷ The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers had said that if any man knew where Jesus was, he should tell them. They wanted to take Him.