John 5:1-9:16

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

5 Later on there was a Jewish festival (feast) for which Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

² Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate. This pool in the Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches (alcoves, colonnades, doorways).

³ In these lay a great number of sick folk—some blind, some crippled, and some paralyzed (shriveled up)—^[a]waiting for the bubbling up of the water.

⁴ For an angel of the Lord went down at appointed seasons into the pool and moved and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was cured of whatever disease with which he was afflicted.

⁵ There was a certain man there who had suffered with a deep-seated and lingering disorder for thirty-eight years.

⁶ When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you want to become well? [Are you really in earnest about getting well?]

⁷ The invalid answered, Sir, I have nobody when the water is moving to put me into the pool; but while I am trying to come [into it] myself, somebody else steps down ahead of me.

⁸ Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your bed (sleeping pad) and walk!

⁹ Instantly the man became well and recovered his strength and picked up his bed and walked. But that happened on the Sabbath.

¹⁰ So the Jews kept saying to the man who had been healed, It is the Sabbath, and you have no right to pick up your bed [it is not lawful].

¹¹ He answered them, The ^[b]Man Who healed me and gave me back my strength, He Himself said to me, Pick up your bed and walk!

¹² They asked him, Who is the Man Who told you, Pick up your bed and walk?

¹³ Now the invalid who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had quietly gone away [had passed on unnoticed], since there was a crowd in the place.

¹⁴ Afterward, when Jesus found him in the temple, He said to him, See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.

¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him well.

¹⁶ For this reason the Jews began to persecute (annoy, torment) Jesus ^[c]and sought to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, My Father has worked [even] until now, [He has never ceased working; He is still working] and I, too, must be at [divine] work.

¹⁸ This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him [to do away with Him]; because He not only was breaking (weakening, violating) the Sabbath, but He actually was speaking of God as being [in a special sense] His own Father, making Himself equal [putting Himself on a level] with God.

¹⁹ So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn].

²⁰ The Father dearly loves the Son and discloses to (shows) Him everything that He Himself does. And He will disclose to Him (let Him see) greater things yet than these, so that you may marvel and be full of wonder and astonishment.

²¹ Just as the Father raises up the dead and gives them life [makes them live on], even so the Son also gives life to whomever He wills and is pleased to give it.

²² Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son,

²³ So that all men may give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, Who has sent Him.

²⁴ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life.

²⁵ Believe Me when I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the time is coming and is here now when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear it shall live.

²⁶ For even as the Father has life in Himself and is self-existent, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself and be self-existent.

²⁷ And He has given Him authority and granted Him power to execute (exercise, practice) judgment because He is ^[d]a Son of man [very man].

²⁸ Do not be surprised and wonder at this, for the time is coming when all those who are in the tombs shall hear His voice,

²⁹ And they shall come out—those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life, and those who have done evil will be raised for judgment [raised to meet their sentence].^(A)

³⁰ I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

³¹ If I alone testify in My behalf, My testimony is not valid and cannot be worth anything.

³² There is Another Who testifies concerning Me, and I know and am certain that His evidence on My behalf is true and valid.

³³ You yourselves have sent [an inquiry] to John and he has been a witness to the truth.

³⁴ But I do not receive [a mere] human witness [the evidence which I accept on My behalf is not from man]; but I simply mention all these things in order that you may be saved (made and kept safe and sound).

³⁵ John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining [to show you the way], and you were willing for a while to delight (sun) yourselves in his light.

³⁶ But I have as My witness something greater (weightier, higher, better) than that of John; for the works that the Father has appointed Me to accomplish and finish, the very same works that I am now doing, are a witness and proof that the Father has sent Me.

³⁷ And the Father Who sent Me has Himself testified concerning Me. Not one of you has ever given ear to His voice or seen His form (His face—what He is like). [You have always been deaf to His voice and blind to the vision of Him.]

³⁸ And you have not His word (His thought) living in your hearts, because you do not believe and adhere to and trust in and rely on Him Whom He has sent. [That is why you do not keep His message living in you, because you do not believe in the Messenger Whom He has sent.]

³⁹ You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!

⁴⁰ And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life.

⁴¹ I receive not glory from men [I crave no human honor, I look for no mortal fame],

⁴² But I know you and recognize and understand that you have not the love of God in you.

⁴³ I have come in My Father’s name and with His power, and you do not receive Me [your hearts are not open to Me, you give Me no welcome]; but if another comes in his own name and his own power and with no other authority but himself, you will receive him and give him your approval.

⁴⁴ How is it possible for you to believe [how can you learn to believe], you who [are content to seek and] receive praise and honor and glory from one another, and yet do not seek the praise and honor and glory which come from Him Who alone is God?

⁴⁵ Put out of your minds the thought and do not suppose [as some of you are supposing] that I will accuse you before the Father. There is one who accuses you—it is Moses, the very one on whom you have built your hopes [in whom you trust].

⁴⁶ For if you believed and relied on Moses, you would believe and rely on Me, for he wrote about Me [personally].

⁴⁷ But if you do not believe and trust his writings, how then will you believe and trust My teachings? [How shall you cleave to and rely on My words?]

6 After this, Jesus went to the farther side of the Sea of Galilee—that is, the Sea of Tiberias.

² And a great crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (miracles) which He [continually] performed upon those who were sick.

³ And Jesus walked up the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples.

⁴ Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching.

⁵ Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat?

⁶ But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do.

⁷ Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennies’ (forty dollars) worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little.

⁸ Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

⁹ There is a little boy here, who has [with him] five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?

¹⁰ Jesus said, Make all the people recline (sit down). Now the ground (a pasture) was covered with thick grass at the spot, so the men threw themselves down, about 5,000 in number.

¹¹ Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed ^[e]to the disciples and the disciples to the reclining people; so also [He did] with the fish, as much as they wanted.

¹² When they had all had enough, He said to His disciples, Gather up now the fragments (the broken pieces that are left over), so that nothing may be lost and wasted.

¹³ So accordingly they gathered them up, and they filled twelve [^[f]small hand] baskets with fragments left over by those who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

¹⁴ When the people saw the sign (miracle) that Jesus had performed, they began saying, Surely and beyond a doubt this is the Prophet Who is to come into the world!^(B)

¹⁵ Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone.

¹⁶ When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

¹⁷ And they took a boat and were going across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and still Jesus had not [yet] come back to them.

¹⁸ Meanwhile, the sea was getting rough and rising high because of a great and violent wind that was blowing.

¹⁹ [However] when they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat. And they were afraid (terrified).

²⁰ But Jesus said to them, It is I; be not afraid! [I Am; stop being frightened!]^(C)

²¹ Then they were quite willing and glad for Him to come into the boat. And now the boat went at once to the land they had steered toward. [And immediately they reached the shore toward which they had been slowly making their way.]

²² The next day the crowd [that still remained] standing on the other side of the sea realized that there had been only one small boat there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone away by themselves.

²³ But now some other boats from Tiberias had come in near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

²⁴ So the people, finding that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

²⁵ And when they found Him on the other side of the lake, they said to Him, Rabbi! When did You come here?

²⁶ Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied.

²⁷ Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.

²⁸ They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]

²⁹ Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].

³⁰ Therefore they said to Him, What sign (miracle, wonderwork) will ^[g]You perform then, so that we may see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What [supernatural] work have You [to show what You can do]?

³¹ Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as the Scripture says, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.^(D)

³² Jesus then said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Moses did not give you the Bread from heaven [what Moses gave you was not the Bread from heaven], but it is My Father Who gives you the true heavenly Bread.

³³ For the Bread of God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.

³⁴ Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always (all the time)!

³⁵ Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).

³⁶ But [as] I told you, although you have seen Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith.

³⁷ All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].

³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me.

³⁹ And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day.

⁴⁰ For this is My Father’s will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.

⁴¹ Now the Jews murmured and found fault with and grumbled about Jesus because He said, I am [Myself] the Bread that came down from heaven.

⁴² They kept asking, Is not this Jesus, the ^[h]Son of Joseph, Whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, I have come down from heaven?

⁴³ So Jesus answered them, Stop grumbling and saying things against Me to one another.

⁴⁴ No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.

⁴⁵ It is written in [the book of] the Prophets, And they shall all be taught of God [have Him in person for their Teacher]. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to Me—^(E)

⁴⁶ Which does not imply that anyone has seen the Father [not that anyone has ever seen Him] except He [Who was with the Father] Who comes from God; He [alone] has seen the Father.

⁴⁷ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me] has (now possesses) eternal life.

⁴⁸ I am the Bread of Life [that gives life—the Living Bread].

⁴⁹ Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and [yet] they died.

⁵⁰ [But] this is the Bread that comes down from heaven, so that [any]one may eat of it and never die.

⁵¹ I [Myself] am this Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and also the Bread that I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).

⁵² Then the Jews angrily contended with one another, saying, How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?

⁵³ And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you cannot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood].

⁵⁴ He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

⁵⁵ For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink.

⁵⁶ He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood dwells continually in Me, and I [in like manner dwell continually] in him.

⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.

⁵⁸ This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.

⁵⁹ He said these things in a synagogue while He was teaching at Capernaum.

⁶⁰ When His disciples heard this, many of them said, This is a hard and difficult and strange saying (an offensive and unbearable message). Who can stand to hear it? [Who can be expected to listen to such teaching?]

⁶¹ But Jesus, knowing within Himself that His disciples were complaining and protesting and grumbling about it, said to them: Is this a stumbling block and an offense to you? [Does this upset and displease and shock and scandalize you?]

⁶² What then [will be your reaction] if you should see the Son of Man ascending to [the place] where He was before?

⁶³ It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life.

⁶⁴ But [still] some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith. For Jesus knew from the first who did not believe and had no faith and who would betray Him and be false to Him.

⁶⁵ And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him [unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.

⁶⁶ After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him.

⁶⁷ Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?]

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.

⁶⁹ And we have learned to believe and trust, and [more] we have come to know [surely] that You are the Holy One of God, the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of the living God.

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And [yet] one of you is a devil (of the evil one and a false accuser).

⁷¹ He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was about to betray Him, [although] he was one of the Twelve.

7 After this, Jesus went from place to place in Galilee, for He would not travel in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

² Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near.

³ So His brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judea, so that ^[i]Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do. [This is no place for You.]

⁴ For no one does anything in secret when he wishes to be conspicuous and secure publicity. If You [must] do these things [if You must act like this], show Yourself openly and make Yourself known to the world!

⁵ For [even] His brothers did not believe in or adhere to or trust in or rely on Him either.

⁶ Whereupon Jesus said to them, My time (opportunity) has not come yet; but any time is suitable for you and your opportunity is ready any time [is always here].

⁷ The world cannot [be expected to] hate you, but it does hate Me because I denounce it for its wicked works and reveal that its doings are evil.

⁸ Go to the Feast yourselves. I am not [yet] going up to the Festival, because My time is not ripe. [My term is not yet completed; it is not time for Me to go.]

⁹ Having said these things to them, He stayed behind in Galilee.

¹⁰ But afterward, when His brothers had gone up to the Feast, He went up also, not publicly [not with a caravan], but by Himself quietly and as if He did not wish to be observed.

¹¹ Therefore the Jews kept looking for Him at the Feast and asking, Where can He be? [Where is that Fellow?]

¹² And there was among the mass of the people much whispered discussion and hot disputing about Him. Some were saying, He is good! [He is a good Man!] Others said, No, He misleads and deceives the people [gives them false ideas]!

¹³ But no one dared speak out boldly about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.

¹⁴ When the Feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple [^[j]court] and began to teach.

¹⁵ The Jews were astonished. They said, How is it that this Man has learning [is so versed in the sacred Scriptures and in theology] when He has never studied?

¹⁶ Jesus answered them by saying, My teaching is not My own, but His Who sent Me.

¹⁷ If any man desires to do His will (God’s pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from Myself and of My own accord and on My own authority.

¹⁸ He who speaks on his own authority seeks to win honor for himself. [He whose teaching originates with himself seeks his own glory.] But He Who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him Who sent Him, He is true; and there is no unrighteousness or falsehood or deception in Him.

¹⁹ Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. [If that is the truth] why do you seek to kill Me [for not keeping it]?

²⁰ The crowd answered Him, You are possessed by a demon! [You are raving!] Who seeks to kill You?

²¹ Jesus answered them, I did one work, and you all are astounded.^(F)

²² Now Moses established circumcision among you—though it did not originate with Moses but with the previous patriarchs—and you circumcise a person [even] on the Sabbath day.

²³ If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a person undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath day, have you any cause to be angry with (indignant with, bitter against) Me for making a man’s whole body well on the Sabbath?

²⁴ Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.

²⁵ Then some of the Jerusalem people said, Is not this the Man they seek to kill?

²⁶ And here He is speaking openly, and they say nothing to Him! Can it be possible that the rulers have discovered and know that this is truly the Christ?

²⁷ No, we know where this Man comes from; when the Christ arrives, no one is to know from what place He comes.

²⁸ Whereupon Jesus called out as He taught in the temple [^[k]porches], Do you know Me, and do you know where I am from? I have not come on My own authority and of My own accord and as self-appointed, but the One Who sent Me is true (real, genuine, steadfast); and Him you do not know!

²⁹ I know Him [Myself] because I come from His [very] presence, and it was He [personally] Who sent Me.

³⁰ Therefore they were eager to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, for His hour (time) had not yet come.

³¹ And besides, many of the multitude believed in Him [adhered to Him, trusted in Him, relied on Him]. And they kept saying, When the Christ comes, will He do [can He be expected to do] more miracles and produce more proofs and signs than what this Man has done?

³² The Pharisees learned how the people were saying these things about Him under their breath; and the chief priests and Pharisees sent attendants (guards) to arrest Him.

³³ Therefore Jesus said, For a little while I am [still] with you, and then I go back to Him Who sent Me.

³⁴ You will look for Me, but you will not [be able to] find Me; where I am, you cannot come.

³⁵ Then the Jews said among themselves, Where does this Man intend to go that we shall not find Him? Will He go to the Jews who are scattered in the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

³⁶ What does this statement of His mean, You will look for Me and not be able to find Me, and, Where I am, you cannot come?

³⁷ Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!

³⁸ He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.

³⁹ But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

⁴⁰ Listening to those words, some of the multitude said, This is certainly and beyond doubt the Prophet!^(G)

⁴¹ Others said, This is the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One)! But some said, What? Does the Christ come out of Galilee?

⁴² Does not the Scripture tell us that the Christ will come from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?^(H)

⁴³ So there arose a division and dissension among the people concerning Him.

⁴⁴ Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one [ventured and] laid hands on Him.

⁴⁵ Meanwhile the attendants (guards) had gone back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, Why have you not brought Him here with you?

⁴⁶ The attendants replied, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! [No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks!]

⁴⁷ The Pharisees said to them, Are you also deluded and led astray? [Are you also swept off your feet?]

⁴⁸ Has any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him?

⁴⁹ As for this multitude (rabble) that does not know the Law, they are contemptible and doomed and accursed!

⁵⁰ Then Nicodemus, who came to Jesus before at night and was one of them, asked,

⁵¹ Does our Law convict a man without giving him a hearing and finding out what he has done?

⁵² They answered him, Are you too from Galilee? Search [the Scriptures yourself], and you will see that no prophet comes (will rise to prominence) from Galilee.

^53 [l]And they went [back], each to his own house.

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [^[m]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]?^(I)

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.^(J)

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 ^[n]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 [^[o]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 (^[p]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.^(K)

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.^(L)

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 [^[q]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.