8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(A)

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(B) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(C) Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(F) at her.”^{(G) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”^(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”^(I)

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(J) the light of the world.^(K) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(L)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(M)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(N) But you have no idea where I come from^(O) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(P) I pass judgment on no one.^{(Q) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(R) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(S) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(T)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(U) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(V) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(W) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(X) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(Y)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

²¹ Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die^(Z) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”^(AA)

²² This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

²³ But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.^{(AB) 24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,^(AC) you will indeed die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶ “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,^(AD) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”^(AE)

²⁷ They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up^[a] the Son of Man,^(AF) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.^{(AG) 29} The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,^(AH) for I always do what pleases him.”^{(AI) 30} Even as he spoke, many believed in him.^(AJ)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(AK) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(AL)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(AM) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(AN) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(AO) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(AP) you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(AQ) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(AR) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[b]”^(AS)

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(AT) said Jesus, “then you would^[c] do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^(AU) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^(AV) Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your own father.”^(AW)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”^(AX)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(AY) for I have come here from God.^(AZ) I have not come on my own;^(BA) God sent me.^{(BB) 43} Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil,^(BC) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(BD) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^{(BE) 45} Yet because I tell the truth,^(BF) you do not believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(BG) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(BH) and demon-possessed?”^(BI)

⁴⁹ “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I am not seeking glory for myself;^(BJ) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(BK)

⁵² At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(BL) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham?^(BM) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(BN) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^{(BO) 55} Though you do not know him,^(BP) I know him.^(BQ) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^{(BR) 56} Your father Abraham^(BS) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(BT) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,^(BU) I am!”^{(BV) 59} At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(BW) but Jesus hid himself,^(BX) slipping away from the temple grounds.

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(B) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(D) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{(E) 5} But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech,^(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(G)

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(H) the gate^(I) for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me^(J) are thieves and robbers,^(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(L) and have it to the full.^(M)

¹¹ “I am^(N) the good shepherd.^(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(P) 12} The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(R) I know my sheep^(S) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(U) 16} I have other sheep^(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(W) and one shepherd.^{(X) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(Y)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(AA)

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(AB) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(AC) and raving mad.^(AD) Why listen to him?”

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

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

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

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(AJ) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(AK) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(AL) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(AM) and they follow me.^{(AN) 28} I give them eternal life,^(AO) and they shall never perish;^(AP) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(AQ) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(AR) is greater than all^[c];^(AS) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(AT)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^{(AU) 32} but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”^(AV)

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[d]?^{(AX) 35} If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(AZ)— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart^(BA) as his very own^(BB) and sent into the world?^(BC) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(BD) 37} Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^{(BE) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”^{(BF) 39} Again they tried to seize him,^(BG) but he escaped their grasp.^(BH)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(BI) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,^(BJ) all that John said about this man was true.”^{(BK) 42} And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(BL)

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,^(A) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.^{(B) 2} (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)^{(C) 3} So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love^(D) is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory^(E) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”^(F)

⁸ “But Rabbi,”^(G) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,^(H) and yet you are going back?”

⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.^{(I) 10} It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend^(J) Lazarus has fallen asleep;^(K) but I am going there to wake him up.”

¹² His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.^(L)

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas^(M) (also known as Didymus^[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.^{(N) 18} Now Bethany^(O) was less than two miles^[b] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.^{(P) 20} When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.^(Q)

²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.^{(R) 22} But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”^(S)

²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection^(T) at the last day.”^(U)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(V) the resurrection and the life.^(W) The one who believes^(X) in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing^(Y) in me will never die.^(Z) Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah,^(AA) the Son of God,^(AB) who is to come into the world.”^(AC)

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher^(AD) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.^{(AE) 31} When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,^(AF) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”^(AG)

³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^(AH) in spirit and troubled.^{(AI) 34} “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵ Jesus wept.^(AJ)

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”^(AK)

³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man^(AL) have kept this man from dying?”^(AM)

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved,^(AN) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.^{(AO) 39} “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”^(AP)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,^(AQ) you will see the glory of God?”^(AR)

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up^(AS) and said, “Father,^(AT) I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,^(AU) that they may believe that you sent me.”^(AV)

⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”^{(AW) 44} The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,^(AX) and a cloth around his face.^(AY)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,^(AZ) and had seen what Jesus did,^(BA) believed in him.^{(BB) 46} But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees^(BC) called a meeting^(BD) of the Sanhedrin.^(BE)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.^{(BF) 48} If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas,^(BG) who was high priest that year,^(BH) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”^(BI)

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.^{(BJ) 53} So from that day on they plotted to take his life.^(BK)

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.^(BL) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

⁵⁵ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,^(BM) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing^(BN) before the Passover. ⁵⁶ They kept looking for Jesus,^(BO) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” ⁵⁷ But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.^(A) You believe^(B) in God^[a];^(C) believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there^(D) to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back^(E) and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.^{(F) 4} You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵ Thomas^(G) said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am^(H) the way^(I) and the truth^(J) and the life.^(K) No one comes to the Father except through me.^{(L) 7} If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well.^(M) From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip^(N) said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.^(O) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?^(P) The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.^(Q) Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.^{(R) 12} Very truly I tell you, whoever believes^(S) in me will do the works I have been doing,^(T) and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask^(U) in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands.^{(V) 16} And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate^(W) to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth.^(X) The world cannot accept him,^(Y) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[c] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans;^(Z) I will come to you.^{(AA) 19} Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.^(AB) Because I live, you also will live.^{(AC) 20} On that day^(AD) you will realize that I am in my Father,^(AE) and you are in me, and I am in you.^{(AF) 21} Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.^(AG) The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,^(AH) and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

²² Then Judas^(AI) (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”^(AJ)

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.^(AK) My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.^{(AL) 24} Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.^(AM)

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate,^(AN) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,^(AO) will teach you all things^(AP) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.^{(AQ) 27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.^(AR) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled^(AS) and do not be afraid.

²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’^(AT) If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father,^(AU) for the Father is greater than I.^{(AV) 29} I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.^{(AW) 30} I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world^(AX) is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹ but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.^(AY)

“Come now; let us leave.

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am^(A) the true vine,^(B) and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,^(C) while every branch that does bear fruit^(D) he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.^{(E) 4} Remain in me, as I also remain in you.^(F) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;^(G) apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.^{(H) 7} If you remain in me^(I) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(J) 8} This is to my Father’s glory,^(K) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(L)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(M) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(N) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^{(O) 12} My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.^{(P) 13} Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(Q) 14} You are my friends^(R) if you do what I command.^{(S) 15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.^{(T) 16} You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(U) so that you might go and bear fruit^(V)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^{(W) 17} This is my command: Love each other.^(X)

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you,^(Y) keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you^(Z) out of the world. That is why the world hates you.^{(AA) 20} Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[b](AB) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.^(AC) If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name,^(AD) for they do not know the one who sent me.^{(AE) 22} If I had not come and spoken to them,^(AF) they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(AG) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did,^(AH) they would not be guilty of sin.^(AI) As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:^(AJ) ‘They hated me without reason.’^[c](AK)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate^(AL) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father^(AM)—the Spirit of truth^(AN) who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.^{(AO) 27} And you also must testify,^(AP) for you have been with me from the beginning.^(AQ)