John 8:12-30
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”(A) 13 Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards;[a] I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid, for it is not I alone who judge but I and the Father[b] who sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.(B) 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.”(C) 19 Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”(D) 20 He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.(E)
Jesus Foretells His Death
21 Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”(F) 22 Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are from this world, I am not from this world.(G) 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”[c](H) 25 They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all?[d] 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”(I) 27 They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he[e] and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.(J) 29 And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.”(K) 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Read full chapter
John 8:12-30
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Is the Light for the World
12 (A) Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”
13 (B) The Pharisees objected, “You are the only one speaking for yourself, and what you say isn't true!”
14 Jesus replied:
Even if I do speak for myself, what I say is true! I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don't know where I am from or where I am going. 15 You judge in the same way that everyone else does, but I don't judge anyone. 16 If I did judge, I would judge fairly, because I would not be doing it alone. The Father who sent me is here with me. 17 (C) Your Law requires two witnesses to prove that something is true. 18 I am one of my witnesses, and the Father who sent me is the other one.
19 “Where is your Father?” they asked.
“You don't know me or my Father!” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father.”
20 Jesus said this while he was still teaching in the place where the temple treasures were stored. But no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.[a]
You Cannot Go Where I Am Going
21 Jesus also told them, “I am going away, and you will look for me. But you cannot go where I am going, and you will die with your sins unforgiven.”
22 The people asked, “Does he intend to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying we cannot go where he is going?”
23 Jesus answered, “You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't. 24 This is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiven. If you don't have faith in me for who I am,[b] you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked Jesus.
Jesus answered, “I am exactly who I told you at the beginning. 26 There is a lot more I could say to condemn you. But the one who sent me is truthful, and I tell the people of this world only what I have heard from him.”
27 No one understood that Jesus was talking to them about the Father.
28 Jesus went on to say, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man,[c] you will know who I am. You will also know that I don't do anything on my own. I say only what my Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him, and he will never leave me.”
30 After Jesus said this, many of the people put their faith in him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
