Chapter 14
Since the feast of Passover was at hand, Jesus went to Jerusalem. There He found, sitting in the temple, all those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and changers of money. When He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple. He overthrew the tables. He said to those who sold doves, Take these things away. Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. Here His disciples remembered that it was written: The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.
The Jews then said to Him, What sign do you show us for doing this? Jesus answered, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews said, It took forty-six years to build this temple and you will raise it up again in three days? But Jesus spoke of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said and they recalled the scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.
When He was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in His name when they saw the things He did. But Jesus did not commit or trust Himself to them.
3. There was a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to Him, We know that you are from God because no man can do the miracles that you do unless God is with Him. Jesus answered, I tell you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus asked, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb again and be born?
Jesus answered, Unless one is born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said, You must be born again. The wind blows and you hear the sound but cannot tell from where it comes or to where it goes. So it is with those born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus said, How can these things be? Jesus answered, Art thou a master of Israel and do not know these things? Verily, I say to you, We speak what we know, testify that we have seen, and you do not accept our witness. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
No man has ascended up to heaven except He that came down from heaven, the Son of man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but, that the world, through Him, might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned.
He who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation: light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come into the light lest his deeds be exposed. But whoever lives the truth, comes to the light that his deeds may be shown as a reflection of God.
After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judaea. He stayed with them and baptized. John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim. There was an abundance of water, so many people came to be baptized. This was before John was cast into prison.
A question arose between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. They went to John and said, Rabbi, He that was with you beyond Jordan, of whom you testified, baptizes and all men come to Him. John answered, A man can receive nothing unless it is granted him from heaven. You, yourselves, bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I have been sent before Him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears Him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So, my joy is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. All that He has seen and heard He testifies and no one accepts it.
He who has received His testimony has set to his seal that God is true, for He whom God has sent speaks the words of God because God gives Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe in the Son will not see life but will see the wrath of God.
4. When the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though it was not Jesus Himself who baptized but His disciples, He left Judaea and went back to Galilee. He needed to go through Samaria. He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near Jacob's well, the parcel of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jesus, weary from the journey, sat down on the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink of water. His disciples had gone into the city to buy food.
She said to Him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink, a woman of Samaria? The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans? Jesus said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who asks for a drink, you would have asked Him for a drink and He would have given you living water.
The woman said to Him, Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. From where would you get that living water? Art Thou greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his children and his cattle?
Jesus answered, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I give will never thirst. The water that I give will be a well of water springing up in him into everlasting life. The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water so I do not thirst and never have to come here to draw it. Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come back. The woman answered, I have no husband.
Jesus said to her, You say rightly when you say, I have no husband, for you have had five husbands. He who is with you now is not your husband. In that you speak truly. The woman said to Him, Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men should worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour will come when you will not worship the Father in this mountain or at Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know because salvation comes from the Jews.
But the hour comes, and is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks such people to worship Him. God is a Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The woman said to Him, I know that a Messiah comes who is called Christ. When He comes He will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I am He who is speaking with you. At this time His disciples came back. They marvelled that He talked with the woman. Yet no one asked, Why do you talk to her?
The woman then left her waterpot and went on her way. When she was back in the city she said, Come, see a man who told me all the things I have ever done. Is not this the Christ? Then the people left the city and came to Him.
Meanwhile His disciples said, Master, eat. But Jesus said to them, I have food to eat that you know not of. At this, the disciples questioned eachother, has any man brought Him something to eat? Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to complete His work. Do you not say, There are still four months until the harvest? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields. They are ready to harvest right now. He who reaps now receives wages and gathers fruit for life eternal, so that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. Herein is the truth of the saying: One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap where you have not toiled. Others have done the labor and you are sharing the benefits.
Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the woman's testimony. When they went to meet Him, they besought Him to stay with them. Jesus remained there two days. Many more believed because of His own word. They said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of what you said but because we have heard Him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Then He went into Galilee, where He found the truth in the saying: a prophet has no honor in his own country. When He came into Galilee, they received Him after having seen all the things that He did at the Passover feast in Jerusalem because they were there also.
Jesus returned to Cana of Galilee where He turned the water into wine. There was a nobleman of Capernaum, whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus left Judea and was in Galilee, he went there to Him and besought Him to come down and heal his son who was near death. Then Jesus said to him, Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe. The nobleman said to Him, Sir, come before my child dies.
Jesus said to him, Go thy way. Thy son lives. The man believed the word of Jesus and he went on his way. As he was going along, his servants met him and said, Thy son lives. Then he inquired at what hour the son began to mend. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. The father knew that this was the same hour in which Jesus said to him, Thy son lives. And he believed, and his whole house believed. This is the second miracle Jesus did when He came to Galilee from Judaea.
5. After this there was a feast of the Jews. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. At Jerusalem, by the sheep market, there is a pool with five decks called Bethesda. On these platforms lay many who are blind, crippled, and infirm. They wait for the moving of the water. At a certain season, an angel goes into the pool and stirs it. Whoever first steps in is healed of disease.
There was a man who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been in that condition such a long time, He said to him, Wilt thou be made whole? The sick man answered, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred. Jesus said to him, Rise. Take up your bed and walk. Immediately the man was made whole. He picked up his mat and walked. This was on the sabbath day.
The Jews said to the man who was cured, It is the sabbath day. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed. He answered and said, He who made me whole said to me, Take up your bed and walk. Then they asked him, Who was it who said to you, Take up you bed and walk? But the man who was healed did not know who it was because Jesus left the crowd that had gathered there.
Afterward Jesus found the man in the temple and said, Behold, thou art made whole. Sin no more lest a worse thing comes to you. Then the man left and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. Therefore, the Jews persecuted Jesus. They wanted to slay Him because He had done this on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered and said to them, My Father works now, so I work.
Now the Jews wanted all the more to kill Him because He not only had broken the sabbath but He also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal to God. Jesus addressed this and said, The Son can do nothing of Himself except what He sees the Father do. Whatever the Father does, the Son does the same. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all the things that He Himself does. And He will show Him even greater works than these. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son gives life to whom He will. The Father judges no man, but has turned over all judgment to the Son. This is so all men honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Verily, I say to you, He who hears my word and believes Him who sent me has everlasting life and will not be condemned but will pass from death to life. I tell you, The hour is coming, and is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear will live, for as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given the Son life in Himself. The Father has given Him authority to exercise judgment because He is also the Son of man.
Marvel not at this because the hour is coming in which all who are in graves will hear His voice and come forth. Those who have done good will go to the resurrection of life. Those who have done evil will go to the resurrection of condemnation.
I can do nothing on my own. I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of me; and I know that his witness of me is true. You sent for John and he gave testimony to the truth. Though I do not require testimony from man, I say this so you may be saved. He was a burning and a shining light and you were willing, for a time, to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John. The works that the Father has given me to complete are a testimony on my behalf. Furthermore, the Father Himself has borne witness of me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His shape and you do not have His word abiding in you because you do not believe the one He sent.
You search the scriptures and think that in them you have eternal life. They testify of me. Yet you will not come to me for that life! I do not require praise from men but I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in my Father's name and you do not receive me. But if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
How can you believe when you only value honors from eachother and do not seek the honor that can come only from God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. The one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you trust. If you really believed Moses you would believe me because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how can you believe my words?
6. After these things Jesus went across the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. A large crowd followed Him because they saw the miracles He did on those who were diseased. Then Jesus took His disciples up into a mountain. It was near the time of Passover.
When Jesus saw the large crowd, He said to Philip, How can we buy food for them to eat? He said this to test Philip because Jesus Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, All of the bread we could get would not be enough for everyone in this crowd to take even a little. One of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many?
Jesus said, Have the men sit down on the grass. So the men, about five thousand, sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves. When He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to those who were seated. Then Jesus did the same thing with the fish. When all were filled, He said to His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing is wasted. The disciples filled twelve baskets with the leftover fragments of the five barley loaves.
Those who saw the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is truly that prophet that is supposed to come into the world. When Jesus sensed they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him a king, He went into the mountains.
It was now evening. the disciples went down to the sea and got in a boat to go to Capernaum. It grew dark and a great wind began to stir up the sea. When they had rowed a few miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat. They were afraid. But He said to them, It is I. Be not afraid. As they welcomed Him into the boat, they were immediately at the land where they were heading.
The next day, the people who stood on the opposite shore saw that there was no other boat there, except the one His disciples entered. They knew that the disciples left alone and Jesus did not go with them. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks. When all these people saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they took boats to Capernaum to look for Him.
When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, Rabbi, when did you come here? Jesus answered, You seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for food that perishes but for the food that endures for life everlasting. This is what the Son of man will give you for on Him the Father has set His seal.
Then they asked Him, What is that work? Jesus said, This is the work of God, that you believe in the one He sent. They asked, What sign can you give us that we may see and believe you? What can you do? Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Jesus said, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave that bread from heaven. My Father gave you the true bread from heaven; for the bread of God is He who came down from heaven to give life to the world. Then they said, Lord, give us this bread forever. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never hunger. He who believes in me will never thirst. But I also told you that, although you have seen me, you do not believe me.
All that the Father gives me will come to me and I will not cast out anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. And it is the will of the one who sent me that I lose nothing of what He gave me, but should raise it up on the last day. It is the will of the Father who sent me, that every one who sees the Son and believes in Him will have everlasting life. And I will raise him on the last day.
The Jews murmured about Him because He said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. They said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can He say, I came down from heaven? Jesus said to them, Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and has learned about the Father, comes to me.
He who believes in me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and still died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven that a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. And the bread that I give is my flesh which I give for the life of the world.
The Jews argued among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Then Jesus said to them, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. The living Father has sent me and I live by the Father. Therefore, he who feeds on me will also live by me. This is that bread that came down from heaven and not the manna your fathers ate. He who partakes of this bread will live forever. Jesus taught this in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When they heard this, many of His disciples said, These are hard words. Who can hear it? Jesus knew that His disciples murmured at it and said, Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? It is the spirit that is life. The flesh means nothing. The words I speak are about spirit and about life. But there are some of you who do not believe. Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him. He said, That is why I told you that no man can come to me unless it is granted by my Father. From that time many of His followers went back and walked with Him no more.
Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away? Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and are sure that you are Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Have I not chosen you twelve and yet, one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him.
7. After these things Jesus walked in Galilee. He would not go into Judea because the Jews sought to kill Him. However, the Jewish feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judaea so your disciples may also see the works you do. No one can work in secret if he desires to be known publicly. If you really do these things, show yourself to the world. His own brothers did not believe in Him.
Jesus said, My time is not yet come, but the time is always right for you. The world cannot hate you but it hates me because I testify that the ways of the world are evil. You go to the feast. I am not going because my time has not yet fully come. Jesus stayed in Galilee until His brothers were gone, then He went alone to the feast.
The Jews sought after Him at the feast and said, Where is He? There was much murmuring among the people about Him. Some said, He is a good man. Others said, No; He deceives the people. However, no one spoke openly about Him for fear of the Jews.
About halfway through the feast, Jesus went into the temple and taught. The Jews were amazed and said, How does He know all this since He has no training? Jesus answered, My teachings are not mine but the teachings of the one who sent me. If any man does His will he will know whether the doctrine is from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own seeks his own glory. He who seeks the glory of the one who sent Him is truthful and has nothing false in Him.
Did Moses not give you the law; yet none of you keep the law? Why are you about to kill me? The people said, You have a devil. Who is about to kill you? Jesus answered, I have done one work and you all marvel. Moses gave you circumcision, which was handed down to him, and you circumcise a man on the sabbath day. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath day so the law of Moses is not broken, are you offended because I have healed a man on the sabbath day? Do not judge by appearances, but judge by what is just.
Some of them said, Is He not the one they seek to kill? Yet He speaks openly and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers really know that this is the Christ? How is it that we know where this man is from; but, when the Messiah comes, no one is supposed to know where He is from? As Jesus was teaching in the temple He cried out, You know me and you also know where I am from. I did not come on my own, but I came from the Father, whom you do not know. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent me.
Then they sought to take Him, but no man laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come. Many of the people believed in Him and said, Could Christ do more than the things this man has done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things about Him and they, along with the chief priests, sent officers to arrest Him.