Jesus Predicts His Departure

21 Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; (A) you will look for me, and you will die in your sin.(B) Where I’m going, you cannot come.”(C)

22 So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’(D)?”

23 “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above.(E) You are of this world; (F) I am not of this world.(G) 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they questioned.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me(H) is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”(I)

27 They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,(J) then you will know that I am(K) he, and that I do nothing on my own.(L) But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,(M) because I always do what pleases him.”

Truth and Freedom

30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

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The Unbelieving People Warned

21 Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”

22 The people[a] asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”

23 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I claim to be,[b] you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they demanded.

Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.[c] 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” 27 But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.

28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he.[d] I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:22 Greek Jewish people; also in 8:31, 48, 52, 57.
  2. 8:24 Greek unless you believe that I am. See Exod 3:14.
  3. 8:25 Or Why do I speak to you at all?
  4. 8:28 Greek When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.