Old/New Testament

²⁸ So Jesus said, `When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he. You will know that I do nothing by my own power, but I talk the way my Father taught me.

²⁹ He who sent me is with me always. I always do what he wants me to do.'

³⁰ Many people believed in Jesus while he was talking this way.

³¹ Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, `If you obey my word, you are truly my disciples.

³² And you will understand the truth and the truth will make you free.'

³³ They said to him, `We are Abraham's children. We have always been free. Why do you say to us, "You will be free"?'

³⁴ Jesus answered them, `I tell you the truth. People who do wrong things are not free. They become a slave of the wrong things they do.

³⁵ A slave does not belong to the family for ever. But a son belongs for ever.

³⁶ So if the Son makes you free, you will be truly free.

³⁷ I know that you come from Abraham. But you want to kill me because you do not like what I tell you.

³⁸ I tell you about the things that I have seen where my Father is, and you do what you have seen your father do.'

³⁹ They answered him, `Abraham is our father.' Jesus said, `If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did.

⁴⁰ But you want to kill me because I told you the truth which I learned from God. Abraham did not do that.

⁴¹ You are doing your father's work.' Then they said to him, `We were not born of an unmarried woman. God is the Father of us all.'

⁴² Jesus said to them, `If God were your Father you would love me, because I have come from God. I did not come by my own power. God sent me.

⁴³ Why do you not understand what I say? I will tell you why. It is because you do not want to understand it.

⁴⁴ `The bad spirit, the devil, is your real father. You gladly do the wrong things he wants you to do. From the beginning he killed people. He has nothing to do with what is true. His way is to tell lies. He himself is a liar and all lying comes from him.

⁴⁵ You do not believe me because I tell you what is true.

⁴⁶ Which one of you can prove that what I have done is bad? I tell you what is true. Why then do you not believe me?

⁴⁷ The person who comes from God listens to what God says. You do not come from God. That is why you do not listen to me.'

⁴⁸ The leaders of the Jews answered him, `We say what is true. We say that you come from Samaria. And we say that a bad spirit is in you.'

⁴⁹ Jesus said, `I have no bad spirit in me. I respect my Father but you do not respect me.

⁵⁰ I do not want to make myself great. There is one who makes me great. He judges the matter.

⁵¹ I tell you the truth. If anyone obeys my word, he will never die.'

⁵² The leaders of the Jews said to him, `Now we know it is true that a bad spirit is in you. Abraham died. So did the prophets. And yet you say, "If anyone obeys my word, he will never die."

⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham and the prophets of God who died long ago? Who do you make yourself out to be?'

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, `If I make myself great, then I am not great. But my Father makes me great. You say he is your God.

⁵⁵ But you do not know God. I know him. If I say, "I do not know him," I am a liar, just as you people are. But I know him and I obey his word.

⁵⁶ Your father Abraham was glad that he would see my coming. He did see it and he was very glad.'

⁵⁷ The Jewish leaders said to him, `You are not fifty years old yet. How could Abraham see you?'

⁵⁸ Jesus answered, `I tell you the truth. I already was before Abraham was born.'

⁵⁹ Then they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus got out of their way. He left the temple and they did not know where he went.