²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me^(A) has eternal life^(B) and will not be judged^(C) but has crossed over from death to life.^(D)

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(A) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(B)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(C) 24} The Jews^(D) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^(E)

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(F) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(G) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(H) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(I) and they follow me.^{(J) 28} I give them eternal life,^(K) and they shall never perish;^(L) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(M) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(N) is greater than all^[b];^(O) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(P)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^(Q)

2 My dear children,^(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate^(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,^(C) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.^(D)

⁶ No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(A) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(B) or known him.^(C)

⁷ Dear children,^(D) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(E) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(F) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(G) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(H) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(I) 9} No one who is born of God^(J) will continue to sin,^(K) because God’s seed^(L) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God^(M) are and who the children of the devil^(N) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(O) their brother and sister.^(P)